Letters/energy: calculating the risks. 2

Journal Article · Fri May 11 04:00:00 EDT 1979 · Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/science.204.4393.564· OSTI ID:5577761

Holdren, J P; Morris, G; Smith, K R

A discussion demonstrates several deficiencies in a recent paper by H. Inhaber which was based on an earlier report. According to Inhaber, he considered sulfur dioxide emissions that fall within the New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) in force at the time AECB 1119 was written. but the upper limit of the number of deaths from sulfur dioxide-related disease, which is used in the risk calculations, corresponds not to these emissions but to emissions five times higher, exceeding the NSPS by a factor of 3.3. The net inflation of public man-days lost from the coal fuel cycle is a multiplicative factor of 1.3 compared with what would be obtained by consistent use of the NSPS. According to Inhaber, it requires twice as much materials and labor to build a methanol plant as to build an oil refinery. However, methanol-from-biomass plants require fewer and less complicated operations than oil refineries and would probably require less construction material and labor, not more. Several other examples are discussed. 10 references.

• Research Organization: Univ. of California, Berkeley
• OSTI ID: 5577761
• Journal Information: Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States), Journal Name: Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States) Vol. 204:4393; ISSN SCIEA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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