Comparison Of The Clean Water Act And The EPA States

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Describe the type of pollutants covered by each of the two laws. There are two very important acts there were created and past in the 1970’s. Both of these acts were intended to protect the population and the environment. The EPA states, “The Clean Water Act (CWA) establishes the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States and regulating quality standards for surface waters. The basis of the CWA was enacted in 1948 and was called the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, but the Act was significantly reorganized and expanded in 1972. "Clean Water Act" became the Act's common name with amendments in 1972” https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-clean-water-act and The EPA states, “The …show more content…

Both cases are good examples of companies who failed to maintain health standards and now pay the consequences. Both companies are in clear violation of the CAA and CWA. In the Exide case, the company exceed the lead standard set by the EPA and CAA. By exceeding the limit of lead that can be produced within a 30day period, they can be harming the surrounding population and wildlife. Excessive exposure to lead can be harmful to children, the elderly, and people with weak immune systems. Not only did this company violated the standards for lead but regulator found excessive levels of arsenic emissions and this can be increase the chances of cancer. In the West Virginia water contamination case, Freedom industries failed to prevent the leakage from a storage tank containing the chemical 4-methylcyclohexane methanol or MCHM into the Elk river and eventually entering water system for Charleston, West Virginia. Although the test for the chemical were considered low and didn’t the exceed the standard and didn’t have any adverse health effects, it was still dangerous for human consumptions due to smell and taste. Where water quality standards failed is that for this type of chemical, it didn’t have the proper standards set in place to protect the residents of the town. There unknown factors for this chemical such as type of adverse health effects and what is considered a safe level for usage of the contaminated