In: Economics
4A. Consider two rubber companies, Firestone and Goodyear. Both companies create air pollution when they produce rubber. The air pollution can be reduced by the firm, but the abatement comes at a cost. Specifically,
MACF = 800 – 4eF, where eF =
tons of emissions produced by Firestone
MACG = 200 – eG, where eG = tons
of emissions produced by Goodyear
the government wants to use an effluent tax to reduce emissions to 200 tons. What is the optimal number of emissions for Goodyear (firm G) under this policy?
Using the information from question 4A, what is the optimal number of emissions for Firestone (firm F) under this policy?
Given the information from question 4A, what tax level reduces emissions in the most cost-effective way for the firms when they operating at their optimal number of emissions under this policy?
Using the information from question 4A, calculate the total cost (tax cost + abatement cost) for firm F under this effluent tax policy?
Using the information from question 4A, calculate the total cost (tax cost + abatement cost) for firm G under this effluent tax policy
Given
MACF=800-4eF
In absence of any regulation,
MACF=0
800-4eF=0
eF=200
MACG=200-eG
In absence of any regulation,
MACG=0
200-eG=0
eG=200
a)
Now regulation requires that eG+eF=200
or eF=200-eG
Optimal effluent requires that
MACF=MACG
800-4eF=200-eG
set eF=200-eG
800-4*(200-eG)=200-eG
800-800+4eG=200-eG
5eG=200
eG=40 (optimal effluent from firm G)
b)
eF=200-eG=200-40=160 (optimal effluent from firm F)
c)
MACF at optimal effluent=800-4eF=800-4*160=160
MACG at optimal effluent=200-eG=200-40=160
Optimal Tax=MACG=MACF=$160
d)
In case of firm F, effluent is reduced from 200 to 160 units. Effluent is reduced bt 40 units
Total effluent by firm F=eF=Effluent in case of no regulation-abatement=200-AF
MACF=800-4eF=800-4*(200-AF)=4AF
Total abatement cost is given as
Tax payment=Effluent*Tax rate=160*160=$25600
Total Cost=3200+25600=$28800
e)
In case of firm G, effluent is reduced from 200 to 40 units. Effluent is reduced bt 160 units
Total effluent by firm G=eG=Effluent in case of no regulation-abatement=200-AG
MACG=200-eG=200-(200-AG)=aG
Total abatement cost is given as
Tax payment=Effluent*Tax rate=40*160=$6400
Total Cost=12800+6400=$19200