Economic benefits assessment

The critical load concept is intended to achieve the maximum economic benefit from the reduction of pollutant emissions since it takes into account the estimates of differing sensitivity of various ecosystems to acid deposition. Thus, this concept is considered to be an alternative to the more expensive BAT (Best Available Technologies) concept (Posch et al., 1996). Critical load calculations and mapping allow the creation of ecological-economic optimization models with a corresponding assessment of minimum financial investments for achieving maximum environmental protection. 

Potential resource bases and the economic benefits of using the resource are being determined for unconventional natural gas sources. Numerous assessments have been performed by DOE, the gas industry, and other groups. The ranges of resource estimates from these assessments are summarized below. 

The assessment of the clinical benefit of medicines is generally understood by clinicians, regulatory authorities and reimbursement authorities alike. Everyone instinctively understands the clinical benefit of decreasing a hypertensive patient s blood pressure to 130/90 or the benefit in reducing the number of strokes. However, in an era of increasing healthcare costs and funding decisions, there is a need not only to illustrate the clinical benefit of a drug, but to translate that clinical outcome into an economic benefit. 

There are two main approaches to informing decisions that take account of economic factors. One is cost benefit assessment (CBA) and the other is multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA). It is not the purpose of this document to provide detailed guidance about these techniques, but we offer some comments in the context of standard setting (Text Box C). For a more detailed appreciation of CBA, refer to... 

An evaluation of economic aspects of SA pavement systems involves, in addition to an assessment of various performance benefits, the relative costs for equipment, labor, materials, construction requirements, etc. Performance advantages and cost savings that give rise to significant economic benefits are outlined in subsequent paragraphs. 

Effective RTO design requires that a number of issues be addressed, including measurement selection and sensor system design, model fidelity and updating strategies, and so forth. Much of the available literature has tended to focus on the interdependence of parameter uncertainty and measurements availability and accuracy. A number of critical open questions remain, such as what level of accuracy is required in the process model or parameter estimates what is the benefit of improving the accuracy how can the economic benefit of RTO be assessed in a systematic manner. 

Horst, R. L. Manuel, E. H. Bentley, J. T. "Economic Benefits of Reduced Acidic Deposition on Common Building Materials Methods Assessment" Mathtech Inc., Report prepared for Office of Policy Analysis, U.S. Ervironmental Protection Agency, 1984. 

Environmental problem solving creates major conflict areas with the politicians in developing countries. For example. Environmental Impact Assessment Studies is a good Eulerian approach to predict the effects of transport phenomena and a very convenient planning tool for future activities. However, in its application local politicians may block the scientific opinions from reaching the public. Thus new technologies such as pollution prevention measures are sometimes refused. Thus they cause local people to lose an economic benefit, although it ensures the future of politicians near election time. 

A framework was devised for policy-makers to assess direct bilateral cap-and-trade linkages. A systematic analysis of the economic, political and regulatory implications indicates potential benefits along with a number of potentially negative side-effects. Theoretically, economic benefits are expected from quasi-static short-term and dynamic efficiency gains. 

The results of these studies are compared initially to finite regulatory criteria which place the pesticide into one of several categories. In the most usual case the criteria of risk potential are not exceeded and the mere fact that the pesticide performs its intended function is adequate to determine that benefits exceed risks. Such products are registered with little if any sophisticated assessments of actual hazard, exposure or economic benefit. 

OLR of pre-consumer waste also has environmental benefits. An LCA conducted by Muthu et al. (2012a) concluded that the recycling of pre-consumer textile waste, or process waste, would directly lower the carbon footprint of the product However, not all textiles have the same environmental benefits when recycled. In developing their RecyclabiUty Potential Index assessing both environmental and economic benefits to recycling, Muthu et al. (2012b) found that polyester and polypropylene are ranked highest in recyclability with nylon 6,6 ranked last... 

---