Internal migration and the environmental Kuznets curve for US hazardous waste sites

Abstract

In the recent special issue of Ecological Economics devoted to the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis, Rothman speculates that: “what appear to be improvements in environmental quality may in reality be indicators of increased ability of consumers in wealthy nations to distance themselves from the environmental degradation associated with their consumption” (Rothman, D., 1998. Environmental Kuznets curves – real progress or passing the buck?: a case for consumption-based approaches. Ecol. Econ. 25, 178). Consistent with Rothman’s general hypothesis of ‘distancing’ as a possible source of EKC results, this empirical study advances and tests a line of argument in which internal migration plays a central explanatory role for an observed EKC for US hazardous waste sites. Two specific hypotheses tested are: (i) proximity to hazardous waste site build-up emerges as a factor in the migration decisions of individuals as per capita income increases beyond a threshold level; and (ii) the level of income at which the EKC turns downwards is equal to the threshold level of income in (i). Results provide evidence that migration is a contributing factor to the observed EKC.