Environmental damage compensation for illegal solid waste dumping in China

• Published in: Ecotoxicology and environmental safety Vol. 253; p. 114657
• Main Authors: Dong, Rencai, Lv, Chencan, Weng, Chen, Lian, Anxin, Zhang, Lulu, Chen, Jialiang, Ye, Mai
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Inc 15.03.2023; Elsevier
• Subjects: China; Ecosystem function; Environmental damage; Environmental Pollution; Identification and assessment; Illegal dumping; Refuse Disposal; Solid Waste; China; GIS; Illegal dumping; Environmental damage; RTD; Identification and assessment; I&A; Ecosystem function; Solid waste; IDSW
• ISSN: 0147-6513; 1090-2414
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.114657

China aims to improve its system for pursuing environmental damage compensation environmental violation cases. To hold violators accountable, China has an effective system for the identification and assessment (I&A) of environmental damage. This study selected a typical case of the illegal dumping of solid waste (IDSW) in China to analyze the causes, the degree, and characteristics of environmental damage, focusing on components such as the physical quantification and valuation of damage. The findings were as follows: (1) Compensation claimants and obligors consider baseline damage confirmation and causality analysis key components of I&A. (2) The I&A process for a specific case needs to focus on key nodes such as the type, location, and duration of IDSW. (3) Restraining IDSW requires accurately quantifying the physical and value-related losses caused by solid waste dumping. (4) In the selected case study, the damage from environmental contamination caused by the IDSW incident amounted to 3938,990 yuan, including an environmental damage value of 3651,990 yuan and a transaction cost of 287,000 yuan. Both parties accepted the I&A calculation process in this case, and the desired punishment effect was achieved. Hence, the case study demonstrated that accurate I&A is the technical basis for environmental damage compensation. Thus, in the future, more attention should be paid to the role of scientific and technological means and knowledge reserves in the I&A of environmental damage. [Display omitted] •A typical case causing environmental damage is analyzed in detail.•Environment damage and loss are quantified by using RS and GIS.•The accurately calculated loss in environment is recognized.•A forced mechanism in environment damage is fostered to promote cleaner production.