Evaluating alternative environmental control measures: the case of industrial sulfur dioxide in Hong Kong

This paper describes a technique for the evaluation of alternative technological and market-based pollution controls and applies it to industrial sulfer dioxide emissions in Hong Kong. The methodology involves: (1) selecting objectives for control measures (e.g. ability to monitor compliance, cost-effectiveness); (2) identification of relevant control options; and (3) the rating of each control option on the basis of the chosen evaluation criteria. Typical market-based pollution control systems and certain types of technology-based controls suffer from crippling limitations where pollution sources are numerous and the regulatory agency has limited administrative capacity. In such situations, broad-stroke measures applied across the board (e.g. outright activity or material bans, mandatory fuel switching) have significant advantages, and, if they are feasible, may be the most appropriate form of environmental management despite their inherent inefficiencies. Where broad-stroke measures are difficult to design (e.g. for industrial wastewater controls) or where the regulatory agency wants to considerably increase the range of feasible control options, preliminary steps may be required to up-grade compliance monitoring capability substantially.