Table 2.4a  U.S. Pollution Abatement and Control Expenditures by Function, 1972-1994

  Pollution Regulation Research    
Year abatement & monitoring & development Total
                 
  billion billion billion billion billion billion billion billion
  current constant current constant current constant current constant
  dollars dollars dollars dollars dollars dollars dollars dollars
                 
1972 15.45 46.23 0.37 1.11 0.82 2.45 16.64 49.79
1973 17.93 50.79 0.49 1.39 0.90 2.55 19.33 54.76
1974 21.85 56.80 0.60 1.56 0.99 2.57 23.43 60.90
1975 26.55 63.08 0.65 1.54 1.10 2.61 28.30 67.24
1976 29.80 66.89 0.73 1.64 1.28 2.87 31.80 71.38
1977 32.79 69.13 0.83 1.75 1.48 3.12 35.10 74.00
1978 36.90 72.51 0.95 1.87 1.65 3.24 39.50 77.62
1979 42.43 76.82 1.07 1.94 1.78 3.22 45.27 81.97
1980 47.75 79.15 1.26 2.09 1.75 2.90 50.76 84.14
1981 51.39 77.85 1.31 1.98 1.71 2.59 54.41 82.43
1982 52.99 75.52 1.32 1.88 1.64 2.34 55.95 79.73
1983 56.23 76.86 1.30 1.78 1.60 2.19 59.12 80.81
1984 63.26 83.32 1.29 1.70 1.51 1.99 66.06 87.01
1985 68.73 87.52 1.25 1.59 1.38 1.76 71.36 90.87
1986 72.91 90.48 1.46 1.81 1.67 2.07 76.04 94.37
1987 75.61 91.03 1.65 1.99 1.69 2.03 78.95 95.05
1988 80.55 93.56 1.66 1.93 1.54 1.79 83.75 97.28
1989 85.10 94.85 1.73 1.93 1.68 1.87 88.51 98.65
1990 91.61 97.87 1.79 1.91 1.42 1.52 94.82 101.30
1991 93.75 96.33 2.29 2.35 1.87 1.92 97.90 100.60
1992 100.46 100.46 2.60 2.60 1.56 1.56 104.83 104.83
1993 105.84 103.12 2.34 2.28 1.87 1.82 110.05 107.22
1994 117.62 111.92 2.20 2.09 1.99 1.89 121.81 115.91

Source:  Vogan, C.R., “Pollution Abatement and Control Expenditures, 1972-94,” Survey of Current Business (GPO, Washington, DC, September 1996).

Notes:  Expenditures are for goods and services that U.S. residents use to produce cleaner air and water and to manage solid waste. Pollution abatement directly reduces emissions by preventing the generation of pollutants, by recycling the pollutants, or by treating the pollutants prior to discharge. Regulation and monitoring are government activities that stimulate and guide action to reduce pollutant emissions. Research and development by business and government not only support abatement but also help increase the efficiency of regulation and monitoring. Totals may not agree with sum of components due to independent rounding. This series was discontinued after 1994.

Last Updated on Thursday, April 6, 2000