Similarly critical are Heritage Foundation analysts John Shanahan and Adam Thierer, who report in a recent study that the government fails to prioritize risks, recognize that not all risks are avoidable, and understand how regulations can actually cost lives. This is an insight that many government officials obviously lack. When Congress enacted Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards, it encouraged automakers to downsize their automobiles in order to achieve better mileage. However, since small cars lose when hit by big ones, the result has been increased injuries, and deaths in auto accidents. Other examples abound.
Studies suggest that chlorine carries with it a slight risk of cancer.
Therefore, Peru stopped chlorinating drinking water, only to suffer a massive cholera outbreak that killed 7,000 people. Switching from disposable to washable diapers saved landfill space. In fact, many forms of recycling offer similar negative consequences. Paperboard burger containers can be recycled, but polystyrene clamshells generate less pollution and use less energy when produced. There is another more indirect trade-off.