Mandatory Disclosure of Plants’ Emissions into the Environment and Workers’ Chemical Exposure Inside Plants

35 Pages Posted: 3 Mar 2012

See all articles by Stephen R. Finger

Stephen R. Finger

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Shanti Gamper-Rabindran

University of Pittsburgh - Graduate School of Public and International Affairs

Date Written: February 14, 2012

Abstract

Our study is the first to test if mandatory pollution disclosure programs, exemplified by the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) program, reduce worker exposure to toxic chemicals. Plants report learning about source reduction activities that can reduce both emissions and worker exposure when they compile inventories of chemical use and production processes. We examine actual worker exposure data, which is the only source of plant-level pollution-related data both before and after the inception of the TRI program. Examining 1,644 health inspections in the chemical manufacturing sector between 1984 and 2009, we find some evidence that worker exposure has declined. However, we are not able to attribute these declines to the TRI program. We do not find statistically significant evidence of greater reductions in worker exposure in plants that are affected by the TRI program to a greater degree, i.e., those plants with, or operating in industries with, greater emissions reductions.

Keywords: right-to-know programs, information-based regulation, pollution disclosure programs, occupational exposure, exposure limits, worker safety

JEL Classification: Q58, Q53, L65, L51, I18

Suggested Citation

Finger, Stephen R. and Gamper-Rabindran, Shanti, Mandatory Disclosure of Plants’ Emissions into the Environment and Workers’ Chemical Exposure Inside Plants (February 14, 2012). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2014415 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2014415

Stephen R. Finger (Contact Author)

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Shanti Gamper-Rabindran

University of Pittsburgh - Graduate School of Public and International Affairs ( email )

Pittsburgh, PA 15260-0001
United States
(412) 648-8266 (Phone)
(412) 648-2605 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.pitt.edu/~shanti1/

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