ELR Citation: ELR 20489
No(s). 3:CV-86-1591 (M.D. Pa. Jul 11, 1990)

The court holds that a record company's disposal of polyvinyl chloride does not subject it to liability under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), since the waste is not on the CERCLA list of hazardous substances. The fact that polyvinyl chloride releases hazardous substances when burned is not relevant. Congress did not intend that generators of waste, which when burned releases listed hazardous substances, be liable under §107 as if the generator had disposed of the listed hazardous substances. Congress intended that the Environmental Protection Agency determine whether to list a substance on a case-by-case basis.

[A previous case in this litigation is published at 19 ELR 20828.]

Counsel for Third-Party Plaintiff
Amil M. Minora
Minora, Minora, Colbassani & Ratchford
700 Vine St., Scranton PA 18510
(717) 424-1401

Steven J. Engelmyer, Carl Oxholm, Beth Olanoff
Hangley, Connolly, Epstein, Chicco, Foxman & Ewing
1515 Market St., 9th Fl., Philadelphia PA 19102
(215) 851-8400

Counsel for Third-Party Defendant
Jennifer Berke
Kelly, McLaughlin & Foster
1700 Atlantic Bldg., 260 S. Broad St., Philadelphia PA 19102
(215) 790-7900