Analysis of the Effectiveness of Pollution Prevention in Reducing Environmental Compliance Costs

摘要

The objective of the Air Force's compliance through pollution prevention (CTP2) program is to reduce overall environmental compliance (EC) cost and risk (compliance burden) associated with maintaining compliance at an installation through increased pollution prevention (P2) efforts. However, no quantifiable evidence has been produced that suggests P2 projects are actually reducing compliance burden. Therefore, this research attempts to determine if projects categorized as P2 truly reduce compliance burden. This research demonstrated that, under the current burden calculation methodology, the compliance Site inventory data should not be used to measure or track compliance burden reductions. The time value of money, net present value, and correlations were used to analyze the Wright-Patterson AFB (WPAFB) and Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) EC and P2 programs from 1995 through 2000. Overall, this research showed that CTP2 is effective because EC costs are falling, EC Savings are greater than the P2 investments, and EC Savings are highly correlated to P2 investments. The analysis of WPAFB provided the strongest evidence; however, the AFMC analysis provided mixed results, which were explained by relatively high laboratory and product center P2 costs and mission changes due to base closures. When the analysis focused on Arnold, Edwards, Kirtland, and Wright-Patterson AFB, the results were supportive. Each of these bases saw a decline in EC costs, had a net positive overall Savings, and had a moderate to strong correlation between EC savings and P2 expenditures.