The Polluter Pays Principle is a fundamental guideline in environmental law and economics stating that the parties responsible for environmental pollution must bear the costs of its prevention, mitigation, and remediation, By internalising negative externalities, the principle ensures that the financial burden of contamination is shifted from the general public to the specific entities that benefitted from the polluting activity.
Key Legal Frameworks
• European Union: It is a core pillar of the Environmental Liability Directive (2004/35/EC), which establishes a comprehensive regime for damages to soil, water, and protected species,.
• Germany: The principle is enacted through the Federal Soil Protection Act (BBodSchG), which mandates that liable parties finance investigations and remedial measures,.
• International: It is a standard component of environmental policy within the OECD and the United States' CERCLA (Superfund) legislation,.
References:
Dupuis, J., & Knoepfel, P. (2015). The
Politics of Contaminated Sites Management: Institutional Regime Change and
Actors’ Mode of Participation in the Environmental Management of the Bonfol
Chemical Waste Landfill in Switzerland. Springer International Publishing.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-11307-4