title: Behavior, preferences, and willingness to pay for measures aimed at preventing pollution by pharmaceuticals and personal care products in China.
abstract: The release of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) into the environment has been held up as a potential threat to ecosystem and human health. Using a custom-designed survey of residents living in Xiamen, China, this paper examines individuals' disposal practices, awareness of the environmental impact of PPCPs, and willingness to pay for measures aimed at reducing the likelihood of PPCPs being released into the environment. The vast majority of respondents report that they dispose of PPCPs through the thrash. The results of a contingent valuation experiment suggest a substantial willingness to pay (WTP) for policy measures aimed at reducing PPCP pollution. Income as well as subjective perceptions relating to overall financial health, expenditure on PPCPs, and overall concern with environmental issues emerged as significant predictors of respondents' WTP. Our results should be of interest to policymakers looking for ways to mitigate the introduction of PPCPs in the environment. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2016;12:793-800. © 2015 SETAC.
authors.affiliation: University of York, Environment Department, Heslington, York, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Xiaowen
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: University of York, Environment Department, Heslington, York, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Howley
authors.affiliation: University of York, Environment Department, Heslington, York, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Alistair Ba
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Boxall
authors.affiliation: University of York, Environment Department, Heslington, York, United Kingdom. murray.a.rudd@emory.edu.|Emory University, Department of Environmental Sciences, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. murray.a.rudd@emory.edu.
authors.forename: Murray A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rudd
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D003358:Cosmetics / Q000032:analysis*; D058735:Environmental Policy; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D003358:Cosmetics; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations
keywords: Contaminant; Contingent valuation methodology (CVM); Disposal practices; Nonmarket valuation; Stated preferences