Suppose that there is an unregulated market for pesticides. When the factories produce pesticide, they also create waste that they dump into a lake on the outskirts of town. The market for pesticides is given by the following equations (note that Q is in tons, and P is in 1000s of dollars: Demand: P = 8 – Q Supply: P = Q Marginal Social Cost: P = 2 + Q Now suppose the government levies a pollution tax. What is the tax per ton of pesticide that will achieve the socially efficient outcome? If the production of pesticides at any level produces pollution, why is the socially optimal quantity not zero?

MACROECONOMICS FOR TODAY
10th Edition
ISBN:9781337613057
Author:Tucker
Publisher:Tucker
Chapter4: Markets In Action
Section: Chapter Questions
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Suppose that there is an unregulated market for pesticides. When the factories produce pesticide, they also create waste that they dump into a lake on the outskirts of town. The market for pesticides is given by the following equations (note that Q is in tons, and P is in 1000s of dollars:

  • Demand: P = 8 – Q
  • Supply: P = Q
  • Marginal Social Cost: P = 2 + Q

Now suppose the government levies a pollution tax. What is the tax per ton of pesticide that will achieve the socially efficient outcome? If the production of pesticides at any level produces pollution, why is the socially optimal quantity not zero?

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