Paying Too Much for Pollution? - An Assessment of an Environmental User Fee from the Philippines

The 'polluter pays' principle is one of the bedrocks of environmental policy. However, implementing this approach in a way that does not unduly handicap businesses is a challenge for I policy makers across Southeast Asia. A new study from the Philippines has looked at the commercial implications of pollution abatement charges to see what impact they are having on business and to see if it can be made more 'business friendly'. The pollution charge system under assessment is part of a strategy to help clean up wastewater discharges into the Lagung de Bay, the second largest fresh water lake in Southeast Asia.