Journal Facts

Journal
Journal of Environmental Systems
ISSN
0047-2433 (print) 1541-3802 (electronic)
Volume
11
Issue
2
Date
1/1/1981

Article Facts

Title
Do Public and Private Interests in Pollution Control Always Conflict?
DOI
10.2190/T73T-MCXL-EN7M-5CXA
Authors
  • Ann Fisher
  • Robert L. Greene
Pages
113-123
Online Date
05/09/2002

Article Links

Do Public and Private Interests in Pollution Control Always Conflict?

Ann Fisher
Robert L. Greene

DOI: 10.2190/T73T-MCXL-EN7M-5CXA

Abstract

Traditional economic theory finds the pollution control interests of environmentalists and regulators to be in conflict with the profit-motivated decisions by businessmen. However, the usual assumptions about the relative shapes and positions of the marginal social benefit curve and marginal social cost curve for a cleaner environment may not always be realistic. This article examines the conditions under which the interests of environmentalists and regulators would coincide, rather than conflict, with those of businessmen. In these cases, reducing pollution control from suboptimal levels improves both public welfare and private profit.

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