This is a completely broken system though. These cleanup fees should be paid for during the waste generation. Just being allowed to pollute everything and then paying out the owners and declaring bankruptcy leaving it to the tax system to clean up is nonsensical.
When "the system" is working properly, hazardous waste is contained and disposed of appropriately, and sites don't become polluted. The Superfund program exists to remediate situations where that system failed.
in cases like that: if the owners are still around (meaning: not deceased) the courts should be able to pierce the corporate veil and go after the directors for unlimited amounts
Sorry that's not how this works. These organizations bring in a few handfuls of middle wage jobs. If they eventually pollute the site and move to Mexico to save $0.11 a unit, that's my successor's problem
i remember getting a little flyer on my doorknob. 'the soil here is toxic. wear shoes when walking outside. dont attempt to grow food. otherwise its all good. really.'
- we’ve cleaned up 25% of sites in a system that only started in the 80s
- the infrastructure bill in 2021 bringing back the superfund cleanup tax on chemical companies that expired in 1995 — at double the rate
- and Congress also authorizing an extra $3.5 billion 2 years ago just for cleanups
I think it’s too early to be so cynical