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History of Yokkaichi Asthma and Its Anti-pollution Measures



Author(s)

Yukimasa TAKEMOTO¹, Masaaki TAKAHASHI¹, Hirofumi KITO² and Takanori TERAZAWA³

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DOI:10.17265/2161-6213/2017.7-8.003

1. Faculty of Environmental and Information Sciences, Yokkaichi University, 1200 Kayo-cho Yokkaichi, Mie 512-8512, Japan
2. Faculty of Policy Management, Yokkaichi University, 1200 Kayo-cho Yokkaichi, Mie 512-8512, Japan
3. Mie Prefectural Environmental Conservation Agency, 3258 Ueno Kawage-cho Tsu, Mie 510-0304, Japan

In the initial period after the first petrochemical complex was built in the 1950s, air pollution was extremely high. As no significant prevention investments were undertaken, the damage was great. Since then, a considerable effort of investment has been made, and the damage has decreased markedly. The combined sum of investment plus damage cost can be regarded as the social cost caused by pollution. In this study, we seek essentially for the degree of pollution at which this social cost is minimized. With this view, a simulation model is used to represent the actual conditions existing in Yokkaichi in the past.

Air pollution, sulfur dioxide, Yokkaichi asthma, environment policy and investment, diffusion simulation.