Technology, International Trade, and Pollution from US Manufacturing
American Economic Review · 2009 · Volume 99 · Issue 5
Abstract
Pollution emitted by US manufacturers declined markedly over the past several decades, even as real manufacturing output increased. I first show that most of the decline in US manufacturing pollution has resulted from changing production processes ("technology"), rather than changes in the mix of goods produced. I then show that increased net imports of polluting goods ("international trade") accounts for only a small portion of the pollution reductions from the changing mix of goods. Together, these two findings demonstrate that shifting polluting industries overseas explains only a minor part -- less than 10 percent -- of the cleanup of US manufacturing. (JEL F18, L23, L60, O30, Q52, Q53)
Keywords
Trade and Environment, Organization of Production, Industry Studies: Manufacturing: General, Technological Change, Research and Development: General, Pollution Control Adoption Costs, Distributional Effects, Employment Effects, Air Pollution, Water Pollution, Noise, Hazardous Waste, Solid Waste, Recycling
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