ABSTRACT
The export of hazards from the United States to Third World countries is likely to increase. Runaway hazardous shops” are leaving the United States, whereas in the past they only crossed state boundaries within the country. The economy of hazard export is emerging as a driving force in new plant investment in many hazardous and polluting industries. National efforts to implement environmental controls for hazardous industries may have to be complemented by measures that prevent the mere displacement of killer industries to “export platforms” in non-regulating countries. The fundamental objection to the idea of controlling hazard export is the claim that very poor people are better off with hazardous factories and goods than they would be without these things. Overseas Private Investment Corporation, whose mission is to promote needed US industrial investment in developing nations, made no effort to obtain an accounting of measures that would be taken to protect workers in the design and operation of the plant.
