Can Regulatory Institutions Cope with Cross Media Pollution?

Abstract

This paper critically examines attempts by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to consider cross media shifts in regulatory analysis and decision making. We find that EPA has only rarely evaluated cross media shifts and that there appear to be no significant cases in which regulations have been modified as a result. Because cross media shifts have been evaluated so rarely, it is difficult to make definitive statements about their importance or about effective strategies for addressing them. Our more general concern is that the fragmentation fostered by the current regulatory system prevents proper evaluation of more integrated, multi-media strategies, such as pollution prevention. We recommend more careful assessment of the size and dynamics of cross media shifts before substantial changes are made to the existing regulatory framework. © 1990 Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.