Application of Air Pollutant Damage Functions to Auto Smog Control 730197
This paper describes an air pollution control strategy that utilizes air pollutant damage functions. Air pollutant damage functions relate economic losses to man and his environment to varying levels of air pollution. The use of damage functions allows the strategist to develop an air pollution control program which considers benefits and costs of control as decision criteria.
In this work, damage functions were calculated for six major pollutants. Using damage functions, benefits (reductions in damages) resulting from control of automobile exhaust in 1966-1977 are compared with the costs of control. The utility of a damage function in selecting candidates for an air pollution control program and in determining optimum level of control is illustrated. The application of damage functions to control of auto exhaust is illustrative, not definitive.
