Analysing pollution by way of vertically integrated coefficients, with an application to the water sector in Aragon

In this paper, we adopt Pasinetti's approach of vertically integratedsectors in order to disaggregate pollution into its most significantcomponents. Vertical integration allows us to obtain five components(and at least five measurement indices) corresponding to eachsector and each type of pollution. These indices overcome someof the deficiencies of the traditional Rasmussen-type coefficients.The empirical application is carried out by reference to thewater sector in Aragon, a region which lies in north-easternSpain, for five polluting factors, namely: water returns, biologicaloxygen demand at five days (BOD5), suspended solids (SS), nitratesand phosphates.