Environmental effects of shipping imports from China and their economic valuation: the case of metallic valve components

摘要: This paper aims to consider the total cost, including polluting environmental emissions, of imports from China Europe five valve components in aluminium, steel and iron. These are compared with locally produced alternatives investigate whether internalising such external costs affects their price competitiveness. Seaborne trade represents 90% international is growing faster than world’s economy, but marine pollution emissions not reflected market prices. Chinese iron production about 2.5 times more European counterparts, this also In both types extra calculated, valued added cost analysed, for comparison alternatives. The generally remain uncompetitive all likely values except heavy aluminium under high assumptions. analysed simply too low (in case Spanish) equivalents be competitive even allowing costs; while stainless ones so small light that transport externalities, significant. While these specific results limited generalizability, they provide insight into an issue considerable importance. Some suggestions offered further research.