Quote:Non compliance? Why bother with a fine? Revoke an operating license. Shut them down NOW until remedy is in place.I don't generally switch over to the business side of things, but there's no need to overcompensate for pollution. X dollar pollution cost can be dealt with by an X dollar fine. Any more than that, and industries will be needlessly paranoid, and society will suffer in other ways - unemployment, reduced production, lower tax revenue, and so forth.
That hurts everyone, and incentivizes employees and management both to be mindful of the importance of paying attention to detail. When the consequences of failure are felt throughout the organization, buy in to preventive measures and behaviors, rather than reactions to failure, is more likely.
But, revoking licences for extreme or repeat offenders should certainly be on the table, as a threat if nothing else.
You are also right that calculating the costs of pollution is very difficult. I would only say that the problem does not vanish if you calculate it incorrectly, or not at all. Someone is paying for the pollution, somehow, no matter what.
-Jester