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Media attention and the Toxics Release Inventory

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  • Saha, Shrawantee
  • Mohr, Robert D.

Abstract

This paper explores the relationship between the print media and toxic releases in the first wave of Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) filings. It first studies the degree to which neighborhood characteristics like racial composition and income status associate with the number of newspaper articles written about a TRI establishment, controlling for the volume of toxic releases, industry and observable establishment characteristics. It follows up to study whether establishments that receive media attention reduce toxics releases more than those that do not. Neither a qualitative review of the articles nor regression results show any significant correlation between race or income and the likelihood of being included in media reports. A difference-in-difference approach shows a statistically significant decrease in the toxic releases of establishments that received media attention compared to those that did not.

Suggested Citation

  • Saha, Shrawantee & Mohr, Robert D., 2013. "Media attention and the Toxics Release Inventory," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 284-291.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:93:y:2013:i:c:p:284-291
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2013.05.008
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    2. Glen Dowell & Thomas Lyon, 2024. "Beliefs Matter: Local Climate Concerns and Industrial Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the United States," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 194(3), pages 609-632, October.
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    4. Arturs Kalnins & Glen Dowell, 2017. "Community Characteristics and Changes in Toxic Chemical Releases: Does Information Disclosure Affect Environmental Injustice?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 145(2), pages 277-292, October.
    5. Lopamudra Chakraborti & Michael Margolis, 2017. "Do industries pollute more in poorer neighborhoods? Evidence from toxic releasing plants in Mexico," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 37(2), pages 853-870.
    6. Sunzenauer, Paul, 2024. "How Sustainable Is Private Equity? Unlocking the Impact of Private Equity on Asset-Level Sustainability: An Empirical Investigation," Junior Management Science (JUMS), Junior Management Science e. V., vol. 9(1), pages 1100-1122.
    7. Dakshina G. Silva & Anita R. Schiller & Aurélie Slechten & Leonard Wolk, 2024. "Tiebout Sorting and Toxic Releases," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 87(9), pages 2487-2520, September.
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    9. Zwickl, Klara & Ash, Michael & Boyce, James K., 2014. "Regional variation in environmental inequality: Industrial air toxics exposure in U.S. cities," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 494-509.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Environmental justice; Media attention; Toxics Release Inventory;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q51 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Valuation of Environmental Effects
    • Q52 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Pollution Control Adoption and Costs; Distributional Effects; Employment Effects
    • Q53 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling
    • Q58 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Government Policy

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