Particulate matter in urban areas: health-based economic assessment

The interest in the association between human health and air pollution has grown substantially in recent years. Based on epidemiological studies in se veral countries, there is conclusive evidence of a link between particulate air pollution and adverse health effects. Considering that particulate mat ter may be the most serious pollutant in urban areas and that pollution-rel ated illness results in financial and non-financial welfare losses, the mai n objective of this study is to assess the economic benefits of reducing pa rticulate air pollution in Lebanese urban areas. Accordingly, the extent an d value of health benefits due to decreasing levels of particulate in the a ir are predicted. Health impacts are expressed in both physical and monetar y terms for saved statistical lives, and productivity due to different type s of morbidity endpoints. Finally, the study concludes with a range of poli cy options available to mitigate particulate air pollution in urban areas. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.