Pollution Control Cost Per Removed Mass Tool

Description

Return removedMass = inletMass-outletMass, removalFraction = removedMass/inletMass and costPerRemovedMass = (operatingCost+annualizedCapitalCost)/removedMass.

Average, incremental and marginal environmental costs answer different questions. A ratio over a finite reduction is a step average, while marginal cost describes an additional unit; meaningful comparisons need common periods, boundaries and units.

Return removedMass = inletMass-outletMass, removalFraction = removedMass/inletMass and costPerRemovedMass = (operatingCost+annualizedCapitalCost)/removedMass.

When to use this tool

Use Pollution Control Cost Per Removed Mass when checking a supplied environmental cost contribution or comparison.

How to use the tool and how it works

Enter inletMass, outletMass, operatingCost, annualizedCapitalCost. Use the units and conventions below.
Run the tool. Correct any format, range, or cross-field input error before interpreting the output.
Read removedMass, removalFraction, costPerRemovedMass. Use the output convention below.

Require inletMass > outletMass >= 0. Return removedMass = inletMass-outletMass, removalFraction = removedMass/inletMass and costPerRemovedMass = (operatingCost+annualizedCapitalCost)/removedMass.^[1]

Input field	Meaning and units	Accepted input
inletMass	Inlet Mass	Required. Finite number.
outletMass	Outlet Mass	Required. Finite number; minimum 0.
operatingCost	Operating Cost	Required. Finite number.
annualizedCapitalCost	Annualized Capital Cost	Required. Finite number.

Output field	Interpretation	Returned shape
removedMass	Removed Mass	Required. Finite number.
removalFraction	Removal Fraction	Required. Finite number.
costPerRemovedMass	Cost Per Removed Mass	Required. Finite number.

json

{
  "input": {
    "inletMass": 100,
    "outletMass": 20,
    "operatingCost": 600,
    "annualizedCapitalCost": 200
  },
  "output": {
    "removedMass": 80,
    "removalFraction": 0.8,
    "costPerRemovedMass": 10
  }
}

Limitations and assumptions

Masses and costs must cover a matching period and system boundary; annualized capital cost should be paired with annual quantities. Signed cost inputs are accepted, and this is an average removal cost, not marginal cost or a complete social-benefit analysis.
Inputs must satisfy both the field types and the cross-field conditions above. Invalid input causes an error; a successful false flag or documented placeholder is a different result.
Numeric calculations use binary floating point unless exact decimal-integer arithmetic is explicitly stated. No hidden measurement tolerance or decimal rounding is added; nonfinite or out-of-contract results are rejected. Numeric signed-zero results are exported as zero.

Alternative or Complementary methods

Assemble comparable costs and effects across the full baseline and project, and distinguish financial costs from social costs before ranking alternatives.

References

Calculation and input contract: environmental-economics/pollution-control-cost-per-removed-mass — tool.io

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