VALUING HEALTH IMPAIRMENT RESULTING FROM AIR POLLUTION IN TIANJIN'S TOWNSHIP-VILLAGE INDUSTRIAL ENTERPRISES

The present paper gives a detailed discussion on the economic loss caused by the negative impact of the air pollution on human health through an analysis of the statistical data gained indirectly from the investigation with Tianjin's Township-Village Industrial Enterprises (TVIEs) on the permission of the corresponding authoritative departments. According to the statistical data, the economic loss of the industry in this way is estimated between 96.46 million YUAN(RMB) and 557.72 million YUAN(RMB) in 1999 and from 31.2 YUAN(RMB) to 180.4 YUAN(RMB) per person. In addition, the investigation shows that there exists a very significant correlativity between the social variables such as annual income, age and WTP. To make the whole picture more comprehensive for the readers and the experts concerned, the paper also bring about a brief introduction of a few key terms specific in this area, such as Contingent Valuation Method (CVM), Willingness To Pay (WTP), informants' economic behavior, etc. The analysis of ours with the investigation shows that, although WTP of people who have the willingness (WTP0) to pay is different from WTP of all the people (WTP0 and WTP=0) concerned in the suffered region, the attitude of the local people to sustaining the original environmental status or paying for the loss of the public goods is hard to circulate in concrete markets will as revealed by a range of WTP in the form of economic value.