The annual federal report on toxic material emissions from industrial sites across the country gains widespread media attention and serves as a reminder of the potential environmental impacts of industrial activities. But a team of researchers at Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business wondered whether federal regulators can persuade companies to abandon toxic chemicals by simply highlighting that information.
The answer appears to be yes, according to a study published May 17 in Manufacturing & Service Operations Management. Scheller College assistant professors Basak Kalkanci and Ravi Subramanian cross-referenced federal reports on emissions of toxic chemicals with another report that ranks the relative dangers of hundreds of chemicals.
“We found that by simply providing the information, governmental agencies can influence the actions of facilities and can encourage companies to reduce emissions at their facilities,” said Basak Kalkanci, an assistant professor at Georgia Tech’s Scheller College of Business.