The purpose of this study was to test benefit measures of air pollution to human health and welfare. Two market approaches, labor market (wage rate) and housing market (property value), were employed to estimate benefits from improvements in air quality. Indices of air pollution used in this study were sulfur dioxide (SO(,2)) and total suspended particulate matter (TSP). / The property value approach was applied to test the benefits of improvements in air quality in Jacksonville, Florida. A multiple regression property value model was developed and tested. The results provided support for the hypothesis that property values are negatively related to air pollution. TSP appeared to have no statistically significant influence on the mean property values. By contrast, SO(,2) significantly affected the mean property values in each census tract. It was concluded that improvements in air quality are capitalized into the property value. / Using the labor market approach as a measure of benefits from improved air quality, a Mortality Effect Model (MEM) was developed. Then, the model was utilized to quantify the estimates of the pollution-mortality relationship for the city of Jacksonville. The resulting pollution-related mortality function was then monetized by applying estimates of individual's willingness to pay for mortality reductions. The MEM was estimated using the multiple regression analysis. TSP showed no statistically significant association with mortality rates. The significance of the estimated coefficient for the pollution variable SO(,2), supported the contention that some form of air pollution bears a positive and significant relationship to mortality rates. By utilizing a willingness to pay estimate for mortality reductions, it was concluded that individuals in Jacksonville would be willing to pay a minimum of $10 million annually, in order to maintain SO(,2) concentrations at a level of one percent below the average for 1972. / The overall conclusion of the study is that there are significant benefits from improvements in air quality. Furthermore, these benefits can be measured through a property value or a wage rate approach. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 45-09, Section: A, page: 2917. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1984.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_75376 |
| Contributors | ERFANI-EZATI, GOSHTASB., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 164 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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