Benefits and Costs of Regulating and Restricting Chemicals: The European Union’s REACH System and Its Effects on the Austrian Economy

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 462-495 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Getzner ◽  
Denise Schulz-Zak
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Sensitivity Analyses ◽  
Cost Ratio ◽  
Baseline Scenario ◽  
Chemical Safety ◽  
Benefit Cost Analysis ◽  
Austrian Economy ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Benefit Cost

The European Union’s regulation for chemical safety (REACH) addresses the registration, evaluation, assessment, and consequent authorization (or restriction) of chemicals which are potentially harmful for both public health and the environment. The current study aims at ascertaining the costs and benefits of the REACH framework for the Austrian economy under major uncertainties, and draws on a wide range of databases on public and workplace health, chemical accidents in households, and the potential environmental impacts of harmful chemicals.The uncertainties in the REACH system assessments of the effects of chemicals on health lie not only in the insufficiency of scientific evidence but also in the economic evaluation of effects on health, especially in regard to the value of statistical life (VSL), and the economic value of diseases attributed to chemicals.This benefit-cost analysis (BCA) of the REACH system in Austria therefore takes into account these manifold uncertainties by designing a conservative baseline scenario and by varying all determinants in comprehensive sensitivity analyses. Projected over a period of about 30 years, this paper provides evidence that the REACH system most probably leads to net benefits for the Austrian economy (benefit-cost ratio of about 10.6) even though many benefits are still highly uncertain or unknown.

scholarly journals Evaluating Public Programs with Close Substitutes: The Case of Head Start*

2016 ◽  
Vol 131 (4) ◽  
pp. 1795-1848 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick Kline ◽  
Christopher R. Walters
Keyword(s):  
Head Start ◽  
Test Score ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cost Ratio ◽  
Public Programs ◽  
Benefit Cost Ratio ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Fiscal Impacts ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Benefit Cost

Abstract We use data from the Head Start Impact Study (HSIS) to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of Head Start, the largest early childhood education program in the United States. Head Start draws roughly a third of its participants from competing preschool programs, many of which receive public funds. We show that accounting for the fiscal impacts of such program substitution pushes estimates of Head Start’s benefit-cost ratio well above one under a wide range of assumptions on the structure of the market for preschool services and the dollar value of test score gains. To parse the program’s test score impacts relative to home care and competing preschools, we selection-correct test scores in each care environment using excluded interactions between experimental assignments and household characteristics. We find that Head Start generates larger test score gains for children who would not otherwise attend preschool and for children who are less likely to participate in the program.

A Benefit-Cost Analysis of the Kings County District Attorney's Office Drug Treatment Alternative to Prison (DTAP) Program

2005 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gary A. Zarkin ◽  
Laura J. Dunlap ◽  
Steven Belenko ◽  
Paul A. Dynia
Keyword(s):  
Criminal Justice ◽  
Drug Treatment ◽  
Cost Ratio ◽  
Treatment Alternative ◽  
Drug Offenders ◽  
Benefit Cost Analysis ◽  
Kings County ◽  
Benefit Cost Ratio ◽  
Justice Process ◽  
Benefit Cost

In October 1990, the Kings County (Brooklyn, NY) District Attorney's Office implemented the Drug Treatment Alternative to Prison (DTAP) program to divert nonviolent felony drug offenders from prison to community-based residential drug treatment. This article presents an estimate of the costs and benefits of the DTAP program based on a cohort of DTAP participants and prison comparisons who entered treatment or prison in 1995–1996 and were tracked for 6 years. The analysis focuses on the criminal justice system (CJS) costs associated with criminal recidivism. Findings show that the DTAP program is cost-beneficial compared to the usual criminal justice process (benefit-cost ratio equals 2.17 after 6 years).

Who Gains from and who Pays for Channel Deepening?

2005 ◽  
Vol 1909 (1) ◽  
pp. 62-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas A. Grigalunas ◽  
James J. Opaluch ◽  
Young Tae Chang
Keyword(s):  
Net Present Value ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
The State ◽  
Sensitivity Analyses ◽  
Cost Ratio ◽  
Benefit Cost Ratio ◽  
Net Benefits ◽  
Benefit Cost ◽  
Benefits And Costs

Port dredging to accommodate larger vessels can create substantial national economic benefits. However, how affected individual states fare economically with dredging is often unclear and can be an important issue. The benefits and the costs to Delaware residents of dredging—with the recent proposed deepening of the Delaware Bay and River main federal channel as a case study—are examined. Benefits include ( a) lower transportation costs that residents might receive on imported goods, ( b) profits that residents would realize if cost savings (e.g., on refinery products) were not passed forward to Delaware users, ( c) project costs that residents would bear as federal taxpayers, and ( d) benefits that residents would realize if the use of dredged sediments for planned beach renourishment created savings to the state. Sensitivity analyses are used to reflect uncertainty in outcomes. The estimated net present value to Delaware today of all future annual quantifiable benefits and costs ranges between $15,528,393 and $14,195,700 over 50 years at 5.875%. Stated another way, the quantified net benefits for Delaware imply a benefit-cost ratio between 2.07 and 1.89. Hence, for every dollar of the $7.5 million that Delaware would pay as a nonfederal cosponsor, estimated quantifiable net benefits to the state are $2.07 to $1.89. Some benefit and cost estimates are vehemently debated between interested parties, and not all benefits and costs can be quantified.

An economic framework for the evaluation of rangeland restoration projects.

1990 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 40 ◽  
Author(s):  
ND Macleod ◽  
BG Johnston
Keyword(s):  
Economic Value ◽  
Economic Implications ◽  
Benefit Cost Analysis ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Rangeland Degradation ◽  
Economic Framework ◽  
Rangeland Restoration ◽  
Formal Procedure ◽  
Benefit Cost

Statements concerning rangeland degradation and restoration issues are often supported by technically oriented evaluations, with limited consideration of the economic implications of resource conservation or rehabilitation. In the few cases where an attempt has been made to incorporate economic elements into analyses, some shortcomings have been evident in the methodology adopted. This has sometimes produced misleading results, and has made comparisons of different restoration technologies difficult. This paper examines several issues that are important in obtaining an economic perspective on the restoration of degraded rangelands. The formal procedure of benefit-cost analysis is presented as a rational framework for the economic evaluation of such activities. The framework is applied, via a case study approach, to examine the private economic value of several technologies for rangeland restoration. However, because the analysis is based on limited data, the conclusion is indicative rather than definitive. Issues relevant to the extension of the analysis to encompass social evaluations of rangeland restoration management are canvassed.

scholarly journals Benefit Cost Analysis of Different Rice Varieties in Kapilvastu District, Nepal

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 222-226
Author(s):  
Sundar Sapkota ◽  
Sanjib Sapkota
Keyword(s):  
Rice Variety ◽  
Household Survey ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Cost Ratio ◽  
Gross Margin ◽  
Rice Varieties ◽  
Benefit Cost Analysis ◽  
Benefit Cost Ratio ◽  
Mountainous Regions ◽  
Benefit Cost

Rice is an annual plant belongs to family Poaceae. It is the major staple food crop of Nepal and can be grown from plain to mountainous regions of Nepal. The crop varieties differ from each other in terms of production cost, gross return and gross margin. The objective of this study was to analyze benefit cost ratio for production of different rice varieties. The study was carried out in Kapilvastu district of Nepal in 2018. A sample size of 120 respondents were selected randomly. Four different rice varieties: Gorakhnath, Radha-4, Ramdhan, and Sawa were used for the study. The primary data were collected through household survey using interview schedule. The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences and Microsoft Excel. The average cost of production was amounted to NRs. 77,100/ha for all four rice varieties. Sawa variety had the highest gross return (NRs. 1,01,212.5/ha). The benefit cost ratio was observed highest for Sawa (1.312) and lowest for Radha-4 variety (1.005). Sawa is the most economic rice variety in terms of gross and net production in the study area. The findings will help farmers to choose and cultivate rice variety with greater profitability. It is recommended that concerned authorities should give emphasis on subsidies, farmers training and ensuring floor price of rice.  Int. J. Appl. Sci. Biotechnol. Vol 7(2): 222-226

scholarly journals The Feasibility of a Land Ferry System to Reduce Highway Maintenance Cost and Associated Externalities

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steve J. Merrill ◽  
Alexander Paz ◽  
Victor Molano ◽  
Pramen P. Shrestha ◽  
Pankaj Maheshwari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effective ◽  
Maintenance Cost ◽  
Cost Ratio ◽  
Construction Period ◽  
Pavement Maintenance ◽  
Benefit Cost Analysis ◽  
Benefit Cost Ratio ◽  
Loading System ◽  
Heavy Loads ◽  
Benefit Cost

This study provides an economic evaluation for a Land Ferry, which is a rail system capable of carrying trucks and all other types of vehicles, passengers, and cargo. The Land Ferry system involves a sliding loading system to roll heavy loads onto a flatbed; as a result, loading and unloading of all vehicles and cargo could be accomplished simultaneously. The evaluation for this system included (1) the design of a new track alignment over which the Land Ferry system would run, (2) evaluation of various sources of power, (3) estimation of how many local jobs the Land Ferry would generate, and (4) a benefit-cost analysis. It was estimated that the Land Ferry would create over 45,788 temporary jobs in Nevada during the three-year construction period and 318 permanent jobs during operation. The majority of the benefits were attributed to savings in travel time ($356.4 M), vehicle operating costs ($1000.4 M), reduction of accidents ($544.6 M), and pavement maintenance ($503.2 M). These benefits would be a consequence of the shift of trucks from the highway, thus resulting in higher speeds, decrease fuel consumption, and decrease vehicle maintenance costs. The overall benefit-cost ratio of 1.7 implies a cost-effective project.

A Hybrid Approach Based on the Fuzzy AHP and Benefit Cost Analysis to Evaluating Cutting Blade Alternatives

2013 ◽  
Vol 364 ◽  
pp. 513-518 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chen Wei Xu ◽  
Jin Yao ◽  
Jun Li
Keyword(s):  
Cost Analysis ◽  
Manufacturing Systems ◽  
Fuzzy Ahp ◽  
Hybrid Approach ◽  
Cost Ratio ◽  
Manufacturing Cost ◽  
Benefit Cost Analysis ◽  
Benefit Cost Ratio ◽  
Consumption Cost ◽  
Benefit Cost

The cutting blade selection has been important issue for manufacturing systems due to the fact that it might affect productivity, precision and manufacturing cost. It is a multiple-criteria decision making problem for evaluating blade alternatives. In this paper, the hybrid approach is discussed,which combined the fuzzy AHP and benefit cost analysis. An improved AHP method based on triangular fuzzy number is used to analyze the cutting performance of blade alternatives. It can make up for the deficiency in the conventional AHP. Furthermore, the benefit cost analysis is carried out to evaluate the economic performance of alternatives. The benefit cost ratio is calculated by using the fuzzy AHP score and tool consumption cost. Tool consumption cost is obtained in consideration of tool service life and procurement cost. The optimal blade alternative with highest benefit/cost ratio can be found out. In addition, the proposed approach is also illustrated on a sample case study.

Case Study of Benefit–Cost Analysis of an Intercity Passenger Rail Service

2017 ◽  
Vol 2608 (1) ◽  
pp. 78-85
Author(s):  
Francis E. Loetterle ◽  
Melanie Johnson ◽  
Charles Quandel ◽  
Carey Barr ◽  
Andrew Komendantov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Assessment ◽  
Cost Ratio ◽  
Benefit Cost Analysis ◽  
Benefit Cost Ratio ◽  
Project Assessment ◽  
Passenger Rail ◽  
Target Field ◽  
Benefit Cost ◽  
Rail Service

The economic assessment of transportation projects is evolving from a reliance on user benefits (travel time, cost, or safety) to encompass a wider spectrum of potential benefits, fostered by advances in economics and recognition that different project modes deliver different portfolios of benefits. Sponsors develop projects to address specific problems in their communities. This progression in how investments are evaluated opens the door for projects whose outcomes span a variety of benefit categories rather than concentrating on traditional user benefits and permits an improved intermodal comparison of candidate investments. Transit and intercity rail projects are particular beneficiaries of the broader project assessment approach. This paper presents a case study of how a comprehensive approach to project assessment was applied to the Northern Lights Express project that would reintroduce passenger rail service between the cities of Minneapolis and Duluth, Minnesota, the state's largest economies. Owned and operated by BNSF Railway, Amtrak's service in the corridor ended in 1985. Six stations are planned: Target Field in Minneapolis; stations in Coon Rapids, Cambridge, and Hinckley, Minnesota; a station in Superior, Wisconsin; and Union Depot in Duluth. The goal for the analysis was threefold: ( a) to confirm that the investment would yield a positive return; ( b) to communicate with partners, stakeholders, and the public about the project's expected outcomes; and ( c) to contribute to the selection of an alternative. The benefit–cost ratio was estimated for eight alternatives that varied by physical alignment and service plan.

The Moral Justification of Benefit/Cost Analysis

1994 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 169-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald C. Hubin
Keyword(s):  
Social Policy ◽  
Cost Analysis ◽  
Moral Theory ◽  
Moral Justification ◽  
Cost Ratio ◽  
Moral Foundations ◽  
Benefit Cost Analysis ◽  
Moral Theories ◽  
Benefit Cost ◽  
Direct Implementation

Benefit/cost analysis is a technique for evaluating programs, procedures, and actions; it is not a moral theory. There is significant controversy over the moral justification of benefit/cost analysis. When a procedure for evaluating social policy is challenged on moral grounds, defenders frequently seek a justification by construing the procedure as the practical embodiment of a correct moral theory. This has the apparent advantage of avoiding difficult empirical questions concerning such matters as the consequences of using the procedure. So, for example, defenders of benefit/cost analysis (BCA) are frequently tempted to argue that this procedure just is the calculation of moral Tightness – perhaps that what it means for an action to be morally right is just for it to have the best benefit-to-cost ratio given the accounts of “benefit” and “cost” that BCA employs. They suggest, in defense of BCA, that they have found the moral calculus – Bentham's “unabashed arithmetic of morals.” To defend BCA in this manner is to commit oneself to one member of a family of moral theories (let us call them benefit/cost moral theories or B/C moral theories) and, also, to the view that if a procedure is (so to speak) the direct implementation of a correct moral theory, then it is a justified procedure. Neither of these commitments is desirable, and so the temptation to justify BCA by direct appeal to a B/C moral theory should be resisted; it constitutes an unwarranted short cut to moral foundations – in this case, an unsound foundation. Critics of BCA are quick to point out the flaws of B/C moral theories, and to conclude that these undermine the justification of BCA. But the failure to justify BCA by a direct appeal to B/C moral theory does not show that the technique is unjustified. There is hope for BCA, even if it does not lie with B/C moral theory.

scholarly journals Azolla as Feed Supplementation on Growth Performance and Economics of Vanaraja Birds in Backyard System of North Western Odisha

2020 ◽  
pp. 61-65
Author(s):  
S. K. Joshi ◽  
J. Udgata ◽  
L. M. Garnayak ◽  
F. H. Rahman ◽  
A. Phonglosa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Weight Gain ◽  
Egg Production ◽  
Body Weight Gain ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Cost Ratio ◽  
Benefit Cost Analysis ◽  
Group I ◽  
Benefit Cost ◽  
North Western

This study was conducted by Krishi Vigyan Kendra Jharsuguda, Odisha under National Innovations on Climate Resilient Agriculture Project in 2019-2020 in the operational villages Bhoimunda and Tharkaspur of Jharsaguda district of North-Western Odisha, India. A total of 300 unsexed brooded chicks, breed Vanaraja, were provided to the farmers under the project and were randomly distributed into three treatment groups (100 birds in each treatment group) with ten replications in each group, having ten birds in each replicate. The study was undertaken for a period of 7 months, from September, 2019 to March, 2020. The study started with birds of 4th week of age and continued up to 28th week of age. Vanaraja birds of group I were let out for foraging with no supplementation, in group II birds were provided with fresh Azolla @ 200 g per bird along with foraging and birds of group III were given commercial feed @ 50 g per bird along with foraging. Weekly body weight gain upto 16th week and egg production upto 28th week were recorded. The benefit cost analysis was also evaluated. The result of this trial indicated that supplementation of azolla in instrumental in increased body weight gain along with higher egg production with better Benefit Cost ratio. Therefore, it can be concluded that feeding of Azolla to poultry birds under backyard condition @ 200 g per day per bird may be highly effective method to get more profit. Under the prevailing situation of change in climatic condition, backyard poultry is a good insurance against crop loss and feeding of azolla to backyard birds will further strengthen the economic status of farmers.

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