Computation of Societal Risk Abatement Cost and Long Run Marginal Financial Cost with Regard to Dioxin and Furan Emission Standards for Common Hazardous Waste Incinerator of India.

Abstract: Dioxins and Furans are generated unintentionally during incineration of halogenated hazardous waste which warrants adequate pollution control measures. International Agency for Research in Cancer(IARC) reported that population exposed to the most highly carcinogen 2,3,7,8-TCDD (one of the congener of dioxin) is more prone to increased risk of cancer, beyond this, societal risks are enhanced to people living in nearby areas even if they are not exposed directly. The study compares societal costs of dioxin & furan emission with events such as water borne diseases, rail and road accidents etc. The basic approach is adopted to convert impact of various risks into reduction in life span of the total population to form a common basis for comparison. This paper find out the “break even” standard for dioxin and furan emission where emission control costs and societal costs are equal. This is an attempt to develop a conceptual approach to consider societal cost as one of the determinants for developing emission standard in future. The reason is that the break even number 0.15 ng TEQ/Nm3 should not be taken as sacrosanct since studies are based on a variety of assumptions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]