Applying a network data envelopment analysis model to quantify the eco-efficiency of products: a case study of pesticides

With the increasingly obvious constraint on resources and the environment that results from the growth of the population and the economy, promoting the eco-efficiency of products has become a critical component of achieving sustainable development. This research developed a network data envelopment analysis (DEA) combined with life-cycle environmental impacts of products for eco-efficiency evaluation. Taking pesticides as a case study, the eco-efficiencies of ten comparable pesticides were examined. The results show that Deltamethrin is the only eco-efficient pesticide and that Dichlorvos and Chlorpyrifos have lowest eco-efficiency scores. Pyrethroid pesticides are generally more eco-efficient than organophosphorus pesticides at the usage stage due to lower environmental impact. The results also find out that the network DEA method for evaluating eco-efficiency of products can distinguish differences in the eco-efficiency of products at the different stages which could provide a better discrimination among pesticides while compared to single-stage DEA model and present a relatively lower eco-efficiency score. Finally, since organophosphorus pesticides have a lower market price in China, new policies (such as subsidies or a pollution tax) should be designed to encourage the use of pyrethroid pesticides instead of organophosphorus pesticides.