The Effects of Mercury Contamination in Pheasants on the Value of Pheasant Hunting in Oregon

Abstract

The conceptual framework for determining the optimum level of pollution control by equating the marginal social costs of controlling pollution with the marginal social benefits has been well established, but some conceptual and empirical questions of social evaluation still remain. One important problem which has been given only scant attention is the measurement of avoidance costs incurred as individuals voluntarily alter their behavior in an effort to avoid the damaging effects of pollutants. The voluntary behavioral changes manifested in treatment and avoidance costs will always be initiated by the receiving of information. Such information will often concern the harmful effects or damage costs which could be incurred if action is not taken to avoid them. The objective of this study is to present a method for valuing those avoidance costs which can be associated with the receiving of information. A variable measuring the amount of information available to the population concerning environmental contamination is used in the demand equation to evaluate behavioral response to knowledge of environmental dangers. It is this basic methodology, rather than the results of the case study examined, that is most important. The reactions of pheasant hunters to information concerning mercury contamination of Oregon's pheasants aremore » examined. The change in the consumer's surplus of pheasant hunters associated with the knowledge of mercury-contaminated pheasants is used as a measure of the avoidance costs of mercury pollution. 21 references, 3 tables.« less