National Health Impacts for Children of Reduction in Criteria Air Pollutants
Researchers conducted a meta-analysis of studies of the impacts of ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and fine and coarse particulate matter on children in the United States. The study was intended to estimate the benefits from reductions in criteria air pollutants due to the Clean Air Act from 1990 through 2010.
They used a methodology evolved from that used to prepare the U.S. EPA’s prospective analysis of air pollution health benefits.
The study estimated that changes in criteria air pollutant concentrations would lead to 10,000 avoided asthma hospitalizations, and 40,000 fewer emergency department visits in children ages 1-16. Approximately 20 million fewer school absences can be expected, as well as 10,000 fewer low birth weight infants, and 200 fewer infant deaths.
The authors suggest that inclusion of child-specific data would add $1-2 billion to the $8 billion estimate in health benefits attributed to compliance with the Clean Air Act from 1990 - 2010.
Authors state that these estimates are very conservative, because they exclude certain health effects, and consider other health benefits only in specific age groups. Further, monetary estimates do not include the costs of pain and suffering, or lost leisure time. They consider their analysis to represent a starting point and as identifying key research needs in benefits evaluation.
Wong, EY, Gohlke, J, Griffith, WC, Farrow, S, and Faustman, EM. Assessing the Health Benefits of Air Pollution Reduction for Children. Environmental Health Perspectives 2004;112:226-232.
The National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences [ehp.niehs.nih.gov/docs/allpubs] offers the full article online.
