Dwight Lee (1999) shows that the collectivity may be better, not worse off,
when a technically "inefficient'' pollution abatement technology is adopte
d. The purpose of this note is twofold. First, to show that once rent-seeki
ng is incorporated into the analysis, Lee's qualified support for a technic
ally inefficient pollution abatement technology is at best problematic, and
at worst flawed. Second, to demonstrate that it is possible to make a less
problematic normative case in favour of the adoption of the technically in
efficient abatement policy.