The effectiveness of the voluntary 33/50 program in inducing adoption of pollution prevention techniques and toxic release reduction

Bi, Xiang

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/24327 Copy

Description

Title

The effectiveness of the voluntary 33/50 program in inducing adoption of pollution prevention techniques and toxic release reduction

Author(s)

Bi, Xiang

Issue Date

2011-05-25T15:05:14Z

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Khanna, Madhu

Doctoral Committee Chair(s)

Khanna, Madhu

Committee Member(s)

• Ando, Amy W.
• Nelson, Charles H.
• Deltas, George

Department of Study

Agr & Consumer Economics

Discipline

Agricultural & Applied Econ

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Degree Level

Dissertation

Keyword(s)

• 33/50 program
• environmental policy
• pollution prevention
• toxic releases
• recycling

Abstract

This dissertation consists of three essays that empirically investigate the role of regulatory pressures, voluntary 33/50 program and information spillover on firms’ environmental performance. First, we examine the extent to which participating in the 33/50 program led to a reduction in 33/50 releases. Second, we examine the extent to which program participation motivated the adoption of Pollution Prevention (P2) technology, and whether learning from peers increased the adoption of P2 technology by a facility after controlling for the effects of program participation and regulatory pressures. Last, we examine the extent to which program participation caused an increase in recycling and whether the adoption of P2 technology was inversely related to changes in recycling and releases of 33/50 chemicals. To answer these questions, we use facility-level information on program participation, toxic emissions and P2 adoption for more than 7000 facilities that were eligible for the program over the period of 1988-1995. We find that program participants had 14.8% to 23.7% higher rate of reduction in 33/50 releases than non-participants, after controlling for industry effects, time trend and other regulatory pressures. We also find that program participants on average adopted 1-1.2 more P2 technologies than non-participants for 33/50 chemicals, but did not significantly increase the number of P2 technologies adopted for other TRI chemicals. Additionally, the adoption of P2 was positively affected by information spillovers from other facilities in the same industry. Although program participants adopted more P2 technologies for 33/50 chemicals, the effects of P2 on recycling and releases of 33/50 chemicals were not statistically significant.

Graduation Semester

2011-05

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http://hdl.handle.net/2142/24327

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2011 Xiang Bi

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