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Research on Economics of Land Cleanup and Waste Management

Estimating the Social Benefits and Costs of Land Cleanup and Reuse

EPA supports research to gain insight into the nature and magnitude of costs and benefits associated with EPA land cleanup and reuse activities and programs. These programs manage environmental problems that are characterized by unique qualities including a wide diversity of contaminants and affected media, incomplete information that can lead to stigma, and significant events that transpire over the course of a sometimes lengthy timeline. These and other qualities present special challenges for economic analysis. Economists frequently turn to the stated preference (survey-based) and property value approaches to estimate the social benefits of such programs.

Within EPA, the National Center for Environmental Economics (NCEE) has pursued research focused on property value analysis to measure the health, aesthetic, and other benefits of land cleanup and reuse that accrue to the owners of properties located near remediated sites. In particular, NCEE has assessed the benefits of preventing or cleaning up releases from underground storage tanks by using property value analysis. EPA’s Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM) also supports economic research on this topic.

Related NCEE Working Papers and Publications

Additional Research Funded by OLEM

Hazardous and Solid Waste Management

EPA supports research on hazardous and solid waste management. Recently, NCEE has examined the state and federal regulatory structure for waste management, as well as environmental justice issues associated with hazardous and solid waste.  

Recent NCEE Working Papers and Publications