The Economics of Nitrate Pollution

Nick Hanley

European Review of Agricultural Economics, 1990, vol. 17, issue 2, 129-51

Abstract: Nitrogen is essential to plant growth and, yet, excessive levels of nitrates in soil can cause problems of environmental pollution. In this paper, the author first considers the nitrogen cycles, tracing the movements of nitrogen to and from soils. The problems of excessive nitrate levels are then outlined, being effects on human health and eutrophication of water courses. Nitrate pollution is represented using an externality framework. The paper then addresses the costs and benefits of controlling nitrogen use in agriculture. Cost estimates are presented and the various control options spelled out. Benefit estimates are more problematical, but some findings are presented for both human health effects and eutrophication. Copyright 1990 by Oxford University Press.

Date: 1990
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (33)

There are no downloads for this item, see the EconPapers FAQ for hints about obtaining it.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:oup:erevae:v:17:y:1990:i:2:p:129-51

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://academic.oup.com/journals

Access Statistics for this article

European Review of Agricultural Economics is currently edited by Timothy Richards, Salvatore Di Falco, Céline Nauges and Vincenzina Caputo

More articles in European Review of Agricultural Economics from Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation Oxford University Press, Great Clarendon Street, Oxford OX2 6DP, UK. Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Oxford University Press ().