Old cellular phones generate a negative externality when they are consumed because they lead to environmental damage when they are discarded. Each phone creates a marginal external cost (MEC) of $25 when it is thrown away. Suppose the inverse market demand and supply curve for cell phones are given by:
Inverse demand: P = 300 - 3Q
Inverse supply: P = 200 + Q
a) Calculate the competitive market equilibrium price and
quantity
b) Calculate the allocatively efficient quantity of cell
phones
c) In a clear and well-labeled graph, show the total environmental
cost (TEC) at both the competitive market output and allocatively
efficient output level
d) Calculate the change in welfare that society would realize if
output shifted from the competitive to the allocatively efficient
level
e) Explain how a product tax on cell phones could be used to solve
the externality problem.
Get Answers For Free
Most questions answered within 1 hours.