Abstract
Weighting of environmental impacts is necessary to arrive at a single environmental indicator. One of the methods to weigh impacts, which has been operationalised for a number of impact categories in the Netherlands, is known as the shadow price method, using the highest acceptable costs for mitigation measures as a weighting factor. Up to now, no shadow prices were available for the more complex and less documented Environmental Impact Categories (EICs) in the field of human toxicity, ecotoxicity and depletion of abiotic materials. Therefore, a method was developed and applied to assess the shadow prices of these EICs. It consists of four steps: (1) characterising current environmental policy; (2) concentrating on the most relevant substances; (3) collecting abatement cost data and (4) calculating the shadow price.
The paper describes the method, discusses the results and concludes by presenting the full set of shadow prices in the Netherlands for the ten EICs of the CML-2 method. They are ready to be applied in the assessment of environmental profiles and the evaluation of measures in cost–benefit analysis, according to present policy preferences. We show that the external costs of the toxicity impact categories are, on average, substantial compared to those of the EICs for which shadow prices had already been established.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Buurma JS, Smit AB, van der Linden AMA, Luttik R (2000) Zicht op gezonde teelt, een scenariostudie voor het gewasbeschermingbeleid na 2000. LEI, RIVM, The Hague (in Dutch)
Davidson MD, Wit RCW (2003) Weging in DuboCalc. Toepasbaarheid van de preventiemethodiek. CE, Delft (in Dutch)
Dellink R, van der Woerd F (1997) Kosteneffectiviteit van milieuthema’s. Instituut voor Milieuvraagstukken, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam (in Dutch)
EPER - Environmental Pollutant Emission Register, data request
Guinée JB et al. (2001) Life cycle assessment - an operational guide to the ISO standard, vol. I, II and III. Centrum voor Milieukunde, Universiteit Leiden
Harmelen AK van, Korenromp RHJ, Ligthart T, van Leeuwen SMH, van Gijlswijk RN (2003) Toxiciteit heeft z’n prijs. Schaduwprijzen voor (eco)toxiciteit en uitputting van abiotische grondstoffen binnen DuboCalc.TNO, to be published (in Dutch)
Hofstetter P (1998) Perspectives in Life Cycle Impact Assessment. A structured approach to combine models of the technosphere, ecosphere and valuesphere. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, the Netherlands
Huijbregts MAJ (2000) Priority Assessment of Toxic Substances in the frame of LCA – draft, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam
Huppes G, Davidson MD, Kuyper J, van Oers L, Udo de Haes HA, Warringa G (2002/2003) Eco-efficient environmental policy in oil and gas production in the Netherlands. Project for NOGEPA, The Hague (in Dutch)
Jantzen J (2002) Duurzame groei in Nederland? Het duurzaam Nationaal Inkomen onder Paars (1990-2000). Instituut voor Toegepaste Milieu-Economie (TME), Nootdorp, the Netherlands (in Dutch)
KPMG Sustainability and CE (2002) Duurzame winst! De milieuwinst van de Groenregeling inzichtelijk gemaakt (in Dutch) http://www.kpmg.nl/docs /bas_sustainability_advisory_services/rapport%20duurzame%20winst%20kpmg%20 en%20ce.pdf
NIBE Research (2002) Duurzaam & Gezond Bouwen, Bussum (in Dutch)
Pearce DW, Howarth A (2000) Technical report on methodology: Cost-benefit analysis and policy responses. RIVM report 481505020, Bilthoven, the Netherlands
Peirce M, Jones H, Passant NR, Holland M (2002) Cost Curves for the Abatement of Heavy Metal, PAH and Dioxin Emissions. AEAT/R/ENV/0159 Issue 1
RIVM (2000) National annual environment report Milieubalans
Vogtländer JG (2001) The model of the Eco-costs / Value Ratio. A new LCA based decision support tool. Thesis, Delft University of Technology, Delft
VROM (2001) National Environmental Policy Plan - NMP4. Ministry of the Environment, The Hague
Wagemaker FA, et al. (1999) Waterverkenningen: een strategie voor de aanpak van microverontreinigingen in communaal afvalwater. RIZA report nr. 99.027, RIZA/HASKONING, Lelystad/Nijmegen (in Dutch)
Wit RCN, et al. (1997) Schaduwprijzen. Prioriteringsmethodiek voor Milieumaatregelen (SPM). CE, Delft (in Dutch)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2007 Springer
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
van Harmelen, T., Korenrompa, R., van Deutekomb, C., Ligthart, T., van Leeuwenc, S., van Gijlswijk, R. (2007). The price of toxicity. Methodology for the assessment of shadow prices for human toxicity, ecotoxicity and abiotic depletion. In: Huppes, G., Ishikawa, M. (eds) Quantified Eco-Efficiency. Eco-Efficiency in Industry and Science, vol 22. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-5399-1_4
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-5399-1_4
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-1-4020-5398-6
Online ISBN: 978-1-4020-5399-3
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)