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U.S. v. ALCAN ALUMINUM CORP. Case Brief
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Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis
tl;dr: A company disposed of waste with trace hazardous substances. The court held that under CERCLA, any amount makes a substance “hazardous,” but the company can avoid joint and several liability if it can prove its specific waste did not contribute to the environmental harm.
Legal Significance: Established that under CERCLA, there is no minimum quantity requirement for a substance to be “hazardous.” Crucially, it introduced the common law tort principle of divisibility of harm as an affirmative defense to joint and several liability in CERCLA cost recovery actions.
U.S. v. ALCAN ALUMINUM CORP. Law School Study Guide
Use this case brief structure for your own legal analysis. Focus on the IRAC methodology to excel in law school exams and cold calls.
Case Facts & Court Holding
Key Facts & Case Background
Alcan Aluminum Corp. generated an oily emulsion from its manufacturing process that contained trace amounts of hazardous substances, including cadmium, chromium, lead, and zinc. Alcan argued these levels were below naturally occurring background levels. Between 1978 and 1979, a waste transporter disposed of thousands of gallons of Alcan’s emulsion into a borehole leading to the Butler Tunnel mine workings, which eventually drained into the Susquehanna River. In 1985, a release of approximately 100,000 gallons of hazardous substances occurred from the site into the river, prompting a cleanup by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The U.S. government sued 20 potentially responsible parties (PRPs) under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) to recover its response costs. After 19 defendants settled, the government moved for summary judgment against Alcan for the remaining costs. Alcan cross-moved for summary judgment, arguing its waste was not “hazardous” due to the low concentrations and that it did not cause the harm.
Court Holding & Legal Precedent
Issue: Under CERCLA, can a defendant who disposed of waste containing trace amounts of hazardous substances be held jointly and severally liable for the entire response cost, or can it limit or avoid liability by proving its waste did not cause or contribute to the environmental harm?
The court vacated the summary judgment against Alcan and remanded. Although Alcan Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla
IRAC Legal Analysis
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IRAC (Issue, Rule, Analysis, Conclusion) is the exact format professors want to see in your exam answers. Our exclusive Flash-to-Full briefs combine holding, analysis, and rule statements formatted to match what A+ students produce in exams. These structured briefs help reinforce the essential legal reasoning patterns expected in law school.
Legal Issue
Under CERCLA, can a defendant who disposed of waste containing trace amounts of hazardous substances be held jointly and severally liable for the entire response cost, or can it limit or avoid liability by proving its waste did not cause or contribute to the environmental harm?
Conclusion
This case is a landmark in CERCLA jurisprudence for establishing the "Alcan Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut ali
Legal Rule
Under CERCLA § 107(a), a substance is "hazardous" if it is listed Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est la
Legal Analysis
The court first affirmed two key principles of CERCLA liability. First, it Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
Flash-to-Full Case Opinions
Flash Summary
- Under CERCLA, a substance is “hazardous” regardless of its concentration or