This casebook provides a thorough and current introduction to the content and concepts behind toxic substances and hazardous waste law, focusing on major statutes and including key scientific, policy, and economic context. Detailed consideration of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act; the Toxic Substances Control Act (as recently amended); the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act; and Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Recovery Act is included. In addition, toxic torts and alternative approaches to toxics regulation are described and analyzed.

This casebook focuses on the unique environmental effects of, and the consequent problems of regulating, toxic substances and hazardous wastes. It is suitable for use both in first courses in environmental law (in law schools where the introductory course covers two semesters, for example) and in advanced courses in toxic torts, chemical and pesticides regulation, hazardous waste law and policy, or risk regulation. The casebook provides foundational material on risk assessment, cost-benefit analysis, and other regulatory tools. It then covers in detail the numerous judge-made, statutory, and administrative regimes that regulate the life cycle of toxic substances: production, use, discharge, disposal, environmental remediation, and compensation.

Throughout, the casebook emphasizes scientific, policy, scholarly, and topical materials, in addition to the traditional cases, statutes, and regulations. Problems in every chapter help to develop issues raised in the text.