228 GOVERNMENT

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29 PROTECTION
OFTHEENVIRONMENT

GETTING
STARTED
Unfortunately , somebusinessactivity maydamagethe
environment.Forexample,chemical-processingplantsmay
dischargedangerousemissionsinto the atmosphereandoil
companiesmayspill crudeoil intothe seasandoceans. However,
consumersare becomingincreasinglyawareof this andare
changingtheir consumption.Two-thirdsof consumersnowavoid
specificbrandsdueto environmental concerns.Onemajorconcern
is that the planetmaybe underthreat.Thisthreatcomesfrom
climatechangeandglobalwarming. Lookat the information
below.

CASESTUDY:
GLOBAL
WARMING
Global warming is the gradual warming up of the earth's surface. The year 2016 was the hottest year on Earth
since records began 130 years ago. Most scientists believe that it is caused by the 'greenhouse effect'. This is
where heat from the sun gets trapped between the surface of the Earth and a layer of greenhouse gases , such
as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. However, some scientists believe that over a long period of time ,
hundreds of millions of years, for example , the temperature of the Earth is subject to natural variations. So they
conclude that the planet is getting warmer naturally.
Global warming is predicted to have some alarming effects on the planet.
• Sea levels will rise because the ice caps will melt , which will cause flooding in parts of the world.
• The amount and pattern of rain, snow and hail will change. Some areas will get more and others less.
• Insufficient rainfall in some areas will see the expansion of some deserts.
• Permafrost (the thick layer of soil that remains frozen throughout the year in the polar regions) will melt releasing
trapped methane. This will add to the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
• The Amazon rainforest and boreal forests will be reduced.
• There will be more extreme weather systems such as storms and floods.
• Many species will become extinct.
• Agricultural yields will be affected.
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Year
A Figure29.1Globaltemperatures,1974-2016

1 What evidence is there to suggest that global warming is occurring?

2 Why do you think governments are becoming more concerned about the environment?
3 How might the agriculture industry be affected by global warming?
4 In groups , make a list of the reasons why it is important to protect the environment. Record your ideas on a
poster and present them to the rest of the class.

BUSINESS
ACTIVITY
THATDAMAGES
A wide range of business activity has the potential to damage the environment.
THEENVIRONMENT
However, heavy industry , such as chemical processing , oil refining, mining,
power generation and steel production , in particular, can have a harmful
impact on the environment. Some examples of the way certain business
activity damages the environment are described below.

MINING
Open-cast mining , where materials are extracted from a giant hole in the
GENERAL
VOCABULARY
ground, is one of the most damaging mining activities of all. One problem is
tailings waste material left over once that many of the minerals and other useful materials that are mined are only
the useful content has been removed available in very small quantities. This means that huge quantities of earth and
from an ore, can be toxic
rock have to be extracted from a site and then processed to recover the small
fraction of valuable material. This often involves crushing rocks, which may
release harmful materials, such as radioactive elements, asbestos-like minerals
and metallic dust. During the separation process, something called tailings is
produced. This is a mixture of crushed rock and liquid. It is possible for toxic
and radioactive elements from tailings to leak slowly through the ground into
water systems if not managed effectively. In addition to this , huge open-cast
mines scar the countryside and destroy wildlife habitats. The mining of coal,
iron ore, gold, diamonds, copper and many other minerals can have this effect.
Another problem is that most modern mining techniques use large quantities
of water. Wastewater from these activities may find its way into waterways and
threaten the supply of fresh drinking water.

POWER
GENERATION
The generation of electricity can be very damaging to the environment. This
is particularly the case when it is produced by burning fossil fuels, such
as coal and oil. A wide range of harmful environmental impacts can result
from fossil fuel power plants , such as emissions, the release of hot water,
230 GOVERNMENT
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cl imat ic and visual impacts from cool ing towers, solid waste disposa l, ash
disposal (for coal) , and noise. Owing to the need for large amounts of steam,
power plants need to use huge quantities of water and then return that water
to its source. It the water is dirty and too warm , it can damage wildlife in
water systems. However, most of the damage done by power stat ions is
probably from emissions . The burning of fossi l fuels produces potential ly
dangerous 'greenhouse gases' , such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and
hydrocarbons , which contr ibute to globa l warming. Also , some of the gases
released into the atmosphere produce acid, which is then spread over very
w ide areas as acid rain - often hundreds of miles away from the plant.
Other forms of power generat ion may also be harmful. For example , nuclear
power stations pose two very serious threats . A leak of radioactive material
from a nuclear power station could have a disastrous effect on people and the
environment. Too much exposure to radioactive material can kill peop le and
very large areas of land surrounding a plant could become unusable fol lowing
a leak. There is also the prob lem of waste disposal. Radioactive waste has to
be stored underground for thousands of years before it is safe.

CHEMICAL
PROCESSING
Chemicals are used to make the majority of synthetic materials and play an
important role in everyday life. For example, chemicals are used in products
to provide protection for crops and increase yields, prevent and cure disease,
provide insulation to reduce energy use and provide countless other benefits
that help improve living standards and the quality of life. However, chem icals
can also create a negative impact on human health and the environment when
their production and use are not managed responsib ly. The range of chemical
processes and applications in business is huge. The examples below are just
two of the potentia l threats on the environment posed by the chemicals industry.
• Some refineries and chemical processing plants release hazardous air
pollutants (HAPs). These can cause cancer and other health problems. For
examp le, petrochemical plants use benzene, a chemical known to cause
cancer in humans. People can breathe in benzene if they are close to
industria l plants .
• Some chemical processes release volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such
as ethylene and propylene , into the atmosphere . VOCs react with oxygen and
GENERAL
VOCABULARY nitrogen oxides, which are produced when burning fossil fuels, to form ozone.
Contact w ith VOCs and ozone may result in increased rates of asthma, lung
pesticides chemica l substances used
and respiratory infections and heart prob lems. The list of products from which
to kill insects and small animals that
destroy crops VOCs may be produced includes fuels, paints, stains and lacquers, cleaning
supp lies, pesticides , plastics, glues, adhesives and refrigerants.

AGRICULTURE
Farming can have a variety of negative environmental effects. One of the main
problems results from the use of pest icides and fert ilisers. Although fertilisers
can increase crop yields, after heavy rainfall some always ends up in rivers,
lakes and the sea where it can kill aquatic life. For example, nitrogen (a key
element in fert iliser) feeds an algal bloom , but when the algae die, rotting
bacteria then consume most of the available oxygen , which kills aquatic life by
prevent ing it from breathing . Also, some ferti lisers can starve soil of organ ic
matter. As a result, the soi l cannot hold sufficient water and is subject to
erosion. It is possible that pesticides can cause ill health. The long-term effects
of exposure to pest icides on humans is still very much unknown . However,
farmers who face regular exposure to pest icides have been found to suffer
symptoms , such as headaches and hand tremors.
GOVERNMENT
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OFTHEENVIRONMENT 231

Farming can also cont ribute to global warm ing. One reason is because
facto ry farming , in particular , generates about 37 per cent of global methane
GENERAL
VOCABULARY emissions . This is a greenhouse gas and can impact on global warm ing.
deforestation cutting or burning down Deforestation also contributes to global warming . This is where areas of
of all the trees in an area woodland or rainforest are cleared to grow crops. For example, clearing
100 million hectares of forest to grow soybeans in the Amazon rainforest
is responsible for releasing enough carbon dioxide into the atmosphere to
increase the rate of global warm ing by 50 per cent.

A. Algalbloomcausedby waterpollution

CONSTRUCTION
The construction industry produces more waste material than any other
industry . For example, in the UK the construction industry produces 109 million
tonnes of construction waste each year. Of this, about 24 per cent is tota l
waste . The industry produces three times more waste than all households
combined . About one-ha lf of the waste is recycled but huge amounts st ill
end up in landfill sites or other disposa l points . Waste on this scale uses up
resources and causes disposa l problems.
Construct ion activities such as land clearing, operation of diesel engines,
demol ition, burning and working with toxic materials contribute to air pollution.
Also , construction sites generate high levels of dust from materials such as
concrete , cement , wood , stone and silica. The air can carry the dust for large
distances and this can cause health problems includ ing respiratory illness,
asthma, bronchitis and cancer.
Water pollution can also result from construction . Diesel and oil, paint,
solvents , cleaners and other harmful chemicals and construct ion waste and
dirt can be washed into water systems. Also , when land is cleared it causes
soil erosion . As a result, silt and soil runs into natural waterways, restricts
sunlight and can destroy aquatic life.
Most business activity tends to have a negative impact on the environment.
For example , most bus inesses use electric ity. If this is generated by burning
foss il fuel, environmental damage w ill be caused . Most businesses also
produce waste . If it cannot be reused or recycled , it might be burnt, which wil l
cause emissions. Alternatively , it might find its way into landfi ll sites, which
cause other problems .
232 GOVERNMENT
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ACTIVITY
1

CASESTUDY:
ENVIRONMENTAL
DAMAGE

.&. Environmental
damage(scarring)causedby coalmining

.&. Pollutioncausedby burningfossilfuels

The generation of electricity by burning fossil fuels, such as coal, has a

'dual' negative impact on the environment.
1 Describe the dual environmental impacts of using coa l to generate
electr icity.
2 Discuss how the construction industry might impact on the
environment.

VISUALPOLLUTION
Business activity may cause some visual pollution . This is where business
act ivity results in something physical that looks very unattractive. For many
peop le, the sight of smoke flowing from power stations might be regarded as
visual pollution. Other examp les might include giant off ice blocks, advertising
hoardings , bright illuminated signs advertising products and businesses , wind
farms , electricity pylons , slag heaps, overflowing skips next to construction
sites, disused factor ies and smog. Finally, most people would also regard litter
as visual pollution. Litter is a more serious problem in countr ies where there
is no orderly collection system . In some countries , refuse is often left in piles
GOVERNMENT
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OFTHEENVIRONMENT 233

on the street. Although visual pollution may not be as severe as other types
of pollution, it is likely to have a negative impact on people 's well-being and
reduce living standards.

A. Pilesof uncollectedrefusein an Indianstreet

NOISEPOLLUTION
If excessive noise results from a business activity, this could be regarded as
noise pollution. If noise causes disturbance to everyday life, then it can be a
problem for people and reduce their quality of life. Some common examples of
business-related noise pollution may be caused by :
• jet engines, as aircraft fly over residential areas
• music and loud conversations in pubs , bars, night clubs and discos if
located too near residential areas
• machinery, vehicles and power tools on construction sites
• heavy industrial machinery , such as compressors , generators, exhaust fans ,
presses and grinding mills, in factories
• the constant sound of commercial traffic on a road or motorway.
Constant exposure to loud noise can have a negative impact on people and
wildlife. For example, noise can damage eardrums and lead to loss of hearing.
Loud noise can also disrupt sleeping patterns and raise stress levels.

AIRPOLLUTION
Factories, machines and vehicles that discharge emissions into the
atmosphere are responsible for most of the world 's air pollution. Air pollution
is dangerous. In 2012 , the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that,
globally, toxic gases caused around 6.5 million deaths per year. The WHO
also said that around 90 per cent of these deaths occur in low- to middle-
income countries ; two out of every three deaths occur in Southeast Asia and
the Western Pacific. Figure 29.2 shows the levels of pollution in some of the
world's most polluted cities. The most polluted city at the time of measurement
was Onitsha in Nigeria. The air in Onitsha contained around 30 times more
than the WHO's recommended levels of PM10 particles (particulate matter of
less than 10 millionths of a metre in diameter).
The main causes of air pollution differ around the world. For example, in
China, the main cause is particle emissions from coal burning. In India, a lot of
the air pollution is indoors and comes from the burning of wood, dung, crop
234 GOVERNMENT
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OFTHEENVIRONMENT

residues and other materials for cook ing and heating. In other cities , it is the
combi natio n of industria l emiss ions and combust ion gases from vehicles. A
summary of the way businesses might cause pol lution is given below.
• Burning of fossil fuels : Sulphur dioxide, which comes from burn ing fossil
fuels, such as coa l and petro leum, is one the major causes of air pollutio n.
Emissions from vehicles , such as lorries, buses, cars, trains, auto rickshaws
and aeropla nes, are respo nsible for a huge amount of pollution .
• Emissions from factorie s and other busine ss activiti es: Manufacturing
and processing businesses discharge carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons,
organic compounds and chemicals into the air, w hich contr ibute to
pollution . The burning of waste , heavy manufacturing , chemical process ing,
power gene ration and petroleum refining , wh ich release high levels of
carbon monoxide , organic compounds and chem icals into the air, are some
of the wo rst causes.
• Agricultur al activitie s: Ammonia is one of the most dangero us gases in the
atmosphe re. It is often a by-prod uct from a range of agricu lture activities .
Crop dusting with insecticides , pest icides and fertilisers in farming is the
main cause of air pollution in agricu lture.
r-
On itsha, Nigeria
Peshawar, Pakistan
Zabo l, Iran ' '
I

'
,,~
1527
594

I I
Rawalpind i, Pakistan I 1448 1
I I I
Kaduna, Nigeria 1423
' '
Aba, Nigeria 1373
I I
Riyadh, Saud i Arabia 136b
' ' '
Al Juba il, Saud i Arabia 1359
I
Mazar- e-Sharif, Afghan istan 1334
Gwa lior, India
I
I 329
I
Hamad Town, Bahrain '
I 318
I I
Allahabad , India I 317
I
Shijiazhuang , Ch ina 1305
Karach i, Pakistan ' 1290
I I I
Dammam, Saud i Arabia 1286
'
Umuah ia, Nigeria 1274
I
Raipur, India I 268
I
Kabul, Afghan istan
' ' 126~
Ma'ameer, Bahrain 1257
I
Boshehr, Iran 12551
I I I I
0 100 200 300 400 500 600
Micrograms per cub ic meter
• Figure29.2Selectionof the mostpollutedcitiesin the world
Note:PM10particularconcentration,microgramsper cubicmetre,annualmean

WATER
POLLUTION
GENERAL
VOCABULARY Around two-th irds of the planet is covered in wate r. However, only about 2.5
per cent of this wate r is dr inkable. Unfortunate ly, in many countries the supp ly
contamination to make something of safe drinking water is dimin ishing due to wate r pollution . Water po llutio n is
dirty and dangerous, for example with
the contamination of oceans, rivers, lakes, groundwate r and other bodies of
chemicals or poison
water by harmfu l substa nces. These substances often find t heir way into t he
waterways as a result of business activity. Some of the main causes of water
pollution by businesses include the fol lowing .
• Industri al waste : Many industries, such as power generation, brewing and
chemical process ing, use very large quantities of water in their manufacturing
processes. Often their plants are located right next to rivers where waste
GOVERNMENT
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OFTHEENVIRONMENT 235

water is discharged directly into the waterways. In most countries , businesses

are required to treat this waste to make it safe before it enters the river.
However, some waste water still contains harmful substances such as lead,
mercury , nitrates, sulphur, phosphates and petrochemicals. If these materials
are discharged in high enough quantities , waterways will be polluted.
• Marine and ocean dumping: the dumping of waste materials into the sea
causes this form of water pollution. It comes from the waste dumped by
shipping, leaks from oil extraction and waste dumped from the land into the
sea. In some countries, refuse collected from households containing paper,
aluminium , rubber, glass , plastic and food is dumped directly into the sea.
Some of the materials dumped can take many years to rot or break down. For
example , foam and Styrofoam can take 50 and 80 years, respectively.
• Sewerage: Sometimes the businesses responsible for collecting and disposing
of sewerage discharge large quantities into the sea. In most developed
countries it is treated before it reaches the sea. However, in others, untreated
sewerage may be released directly into the sea. Although most sewerage is
90 per cent water, it also contains other materials such as chemicals from
pharmaceutical drugs, and paper, plastic, and other waste that is flushed
down the toilet. Also, when people contract viruses, the sewage they produce
transports those viruses into the environment. It is possible to catch illnesses
such as hepatitis, typhoid and cholera from contaminated river and sea water.
The harm resulting from water pollution can be serious. All marine life, such as
plants and fish, is threatened. Water pollution is responsible for loss of species
and loss of habitat. Perhaps more importantly, at least 320 million people in
China do not have access to clean drinking water; in Bangladesh about 85 per
cent of the total area has groundwater contaminated with arsenic (arsenic is
very toxic , an acute poison and known to cause cancer in humans) every year
250 million people worldwide contract diseases and 15 million young children
die from causes related to water pollution.

ACTIVITY
2

CASESTUDY
: TheHachiumaSteamship
Co.Ltd

In 2015 , The Hachiuma Steamship Co. Ltd., a Japanese shipping

company, was fined £1.8 million for dumping waste into the ocean. The
waste contained oil residue and waste water and was discharged into
the ocean via a ' magic pipe ', which was used to illegally avoid the ship's
pollution control equipment and dump the oily waste into the sea.

GENERAL
VOCABULARY A whistle-blower (a member of the crew) notified the coast guard of
the violation when it boarded the ship in Baltimore, Maryland , USA.
whistle -blower someone working
He received a US$250 OOOreward for his part in the reporting of the
for an organisation who tells the
authorities that people in the crime. Another US$450 OOOwas given to the National Fish and Wildlife
organisation are doing something Foundation for projects benefiting the Chesapeake Bay. The shipping
illegal, dishonest, or wrong company was also put on probation for 3 years during which it was
instructed to produce an environmental compliance programme.
At a later date, the chief engineer of the ship was jailed for 8 months
when he pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and violating the Act
to Prevent Pollution from Ships. He tried to obstruct the coast guard's
investigation and hide the illegal discharges by keeping false records ,
destroying documents , lying to the investigators and ordering crew
members to lie.
236 GOVERNMENT
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OFTHEENVIRONMENT

A Dumpingwasteat sea

1 What is meant by water pollution? Use the example in this case to

support your answer.
2 Describe the role of a 'wh istle-blower' .
3 Discuss some of the possible consequences of water pollution .

GOVERNMENT
INTERVENTION
TO
A number of measures are used to help reduce environmental damage
PROTECT
THEENVIRONMENT resulting from business activity.

TAXATION
Many governments impose taxes on those that damage the environment.
The aim of taxation is to ensure that those who cause social costs through
business activity meet them. In 2016, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
announced a new carbon tax in Canada. The tax, which wil l come into effect in
2018 , wil l help to raise the prices of energy sources that use fossil fuels. These
w ill then be more expensive than clean energy, such as wind and solar power.
The advantages of this tax are that emissions would be reduced, new jobs will
be created in the production of clean energy and tax revenues will be boosted.
Another common tax designed to protect the environment is the landf ill tax .
This is imposed on the disposal of waste in landfill sites. The EU reckons that
about 80 per cent of the solid waste produced by households is recyclable
or compostable. Figure 29.3 shows the various components of solid waste
produced in the EU. The EU aims to reduce landfill to almost zero by 2020. The
landf ill tax should help achieve this aim.

Kitchen Other
D waste D co mbusti ble
D Other O Rubb le
D Paper
board
and D Glass
D Plastic O Steel
~ Textiles O White goo ds
D otNapp ies and
her sanitary
O Aluminium
12% 18%
O Garden waste
• Figure29.3Thecomponentsof EUrefuse(solidwaste)
GOVERNMENT
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OFTHEENVIRONMENT 237

SUBSIDIES
GENERAL
VOCABULARY The government can offer grants, tax allowances and other subsidies to firms
as an incent ive to reduce activities that damage the environment. For example,
tax allowances amounts of money a firm might receive a subsidy if it builds a plastics recycling plant. This might
that firms are allowed by the
government to offset against tax
encourage households and firms to recycle t heir plastic waste instead of
dumping it. The government can also give subsidies to firms or activities t hat
generate positive externalities. For example, one reason why rail companies
are subsidised in many countries might be because they take traffic off the
road and therefore help to reduce congestion and carbon emissions.

REGULATION
A range of legislation, regulations, guidelines and codes of practice exist
in many countries, which is designed to help protect the environment. For
example, in 2016, the Chinese government demonstrated some commitment
to dealing with businesses that damage the environment. It will ban indust rial
plants, paper mills and refineries that pollute t he country's water supplies.
This was part of a wider plan to improve water quality in rivers, lakes, coasts
and aquifers. The government has already blocked some industrial projects,
such as coal gasification plants , because they use up too much water or
pollute water systems. The plan w ill focus on small-scale paper factories,
leather, printing and dying, oil refineries, electronic plating, and pharmaceutical
factories.
Many governments employ specialist agencies to help monitor pollution
levels. Such agencies are responsible for tak ing action against those who
break environmental laws. Other duties include giving advice to firms about
protecting the environment, helping firms reduce waste, working with farmers,
looking after wildlife and helping people get the most out of enjoying the
environment.

DIDYOUKNOW?
Thereis legislation
to protecttheenvironment
intheUK.
• Air legislationcontrolsemissionsof gases,darksmokeandother
airbornepollutantsthatharmtheatmosphere. It includessystems
of permits, authorisation
andfinancialincentives to switchto less
pollutingwaysofworking.Forexample, theCleanAir Act 1993
bansemission ofdarksmokefromchimneys andfurnaces , sets
minimum chimney heights,andcreatessmokecontrolzones.
• Waterlegislationaimsto control
waterquality.It coversdischarges
to sewers,surfacewaterandgroundwater, waterconfinement and
theprotection
ofwateragainstagriculturalnitratepollution.
For
example,theWaterResources Act 1991 is designedto preserve,
manageandcontrolpollutionof waterresources.

FINES
The use of fines for those who break environmental laws are common in many
countries. Many firms are responsive to financial penalties when imposed.
This is because fines will reduce their profits. Fines should therefore act as
an incentive to comply with environmental laws. In 2016, Harley-Davidson,
the famous motorcycle manufacturer , was fined US$18 million by a US court
238 GOVERNMENT
ANDTHEECONOMY 29 PROTECTION
OFTHEENVIRONMENT

for selling motorb ikes that exceeded emissions limits. The bikes were fitted
with 'defeat devices' that avoided emissions controls . As a result, the bikes
discharged higher levels of harmful air pollutants such as nitrogen oxide from
their exhausts. The Environmenta l Protection Agency in the US said, 'Anyone
else who manufactures , sells or installs these types of illegal products should
take heed of Harley-Davidson 's corrective actions and immediately stop
violating the law.'
In some cases , those that cause environmental damage are forced by the law
to pay compensat ion to the vict ims. For examp le, people living by airports
may receive payments to pay for soundproof windows and other types of
insulation .

POLLUTION
PERMITS
Governments can issue pollution permits. These documents give businesses
the right to discharge a certain amount of polluting material - say 1 tonne
per year. These permits are 'tradab le'. This means that a business can sell
its pollution permit to another business if it has found a way of reducing
its own level of pollut ion. Therefore, a business that is strugg ling to control
levels of pollut ion can buy them and discharge more polluting material legally.
An incentive in the market exists to introduce new techno logy that reduces
pollution because pollution permits can be sold for cash. This can also help to
raise profits.

PARKPROVISION
In many countries the government establishes national parks where bus iness
development and other commercial ventures are completely illegal. The parks,
often very large areas of land, aim to preserve and protect areas of outstanding
natural beauty. They may contain wildlife, histor ic sites, beautiful scenery and
areas of special interest. They welcome visitors but there may be restrictions
on their activities. For example , the lighting of fires may be prohib ited and
selected areas will be provided for camping and other accommodation.
Examples of national parks around the world include Yellowstone Park in the
USA, Kruger Park in South Africa and the Lake District in the UK. The largest
national park in the wor ld is the Northeast Greenland National Park, which was
established in 1974.

..,. 1 Which of the following tax changes is most likely to help protect the
environment?
A Decrease in income tax
B Increase in income tax
C Increase in carbon tax
D Decrease in excise duty on petrol

..,. 2 Which of the following might be an example of visual pollution caused by

a business?
A Wind farm
B Cattle grazing
C Rain forest
D Coastal mist
GOVERNMENT
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OFTHEENVIRONMENT 239

CASESTUDY:
DEALING
WITHENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION
SUBSIDIES authorities said that fines for noise violations were
In some countries, subsidies are used to encourage owed by 159 different airlines and that it was not ruling
businesses to produce renewable energy such out legal action to enforce payment.
as wind power and solar power. In 2014 , a total
of US$112 OOOmillion was given in subsidies to LANDFILL
TAX
businesses involved in renewable energy technologies
worldwide. A further US$23 OOOmillion was given to Landfill taxes are designed to reduce the amount of
support biofuels. Germany provides more subsidies waste that is dumped in landfill sites. Disposing of
to producers of renewable energy than any other waste in this way can damage the environment. For
example, rotting waste at landfill sites produces the
country in the world. However, in 2016, it announced
that subsidies to the production of green energy gases methane and carbon dioxide , which contribute
would be cut sharply due to the strain that wind and to climate change. Also, much of the waste that goes
solar power were placing on the nation 's electricity into landfill can be recycled or reused. As a result,
grid. Unfortunately , Germany's wind and solar resource use could be reduced. This has an obvious
power generators have provided too much power at environmental benefit where people are encouraged
unpredictable times. This has damaged the national to recycle waste rather than throw it away. Finally,
people do not like to live near landfills. They take up a
grid and caused power cuts. The government now
plans to cap wind energy to 40-45 per cent of the lot of space , they are a source of visual pollution and
national capacity. Despite the reduction in subsidies , can create unpleasant smells, water discharges and
pests. Figure 29.4 shows the amount of waste going
the German government will still provide a massive
€1.1 trillion in subsidies to support wind power. to landfill sites in the UK between 2000/01 and 2015.

-To tal
90000
FINES 'in - HIC
0
0
80000
In 2016, Enter Air, a Polish airline, was 0 - lnert/C&D
1/) 70000
fined €1.1 million by the French noise Q) - Hazardous
c 60000
reduction authority. The airline was c
0
t
responsible for 83 noise violations Q) 50000
t,
between 2013 and 2014. However, t1I 40000
~
there was some confusion when an
:§ 30000
aircraft belonging to Enter Air was c
held for five hours at Paris COG j 20000
10000
airport for allegedly not paying the
fines. It turned out that the fines had o-J:=:::;:::::::;:=:;==;==;===;==;==r==;==;===;====;==.- --
been paid and the plane was released c<v
c(y<" 'b~":> ~<::>":>
~<::>'<>
ri.,<:Srf'ri.,<:S 'l)
~(;. ~<::><o
'l) 'l)
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li,
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for service very quickly. The French Year
• Figure29.4 Wastegoingto landfill sitesin the UK,2000-15

CHAPTER
QUESTIONS
1 Describe how increased energy consumption might damage the environment.
2 Draw a supply and demand diagram to show the effect of granting a
subs idy to renewable energy producers in the market for renewable energy.
3 Why is Germany planning to cut subsidies to producers of renewable energy?
4 How can fines be used to reduce noise pollution?
5 What is the purpose of a landfill tax?
6 Discuss whether the landfill tax in the UK has worked.