Costs of air quality deterioration and benefits of air pollution control: estimates of mortality costs for two pollutants in 40 U. S. metropolitan areas

Journal Article · Sun Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1979 · Am. J. Econ. Sociol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1536-7150.1979.tb02879.x· OSTI ID:6236289

Liu, B C

Although it is still impossible to place a dollar value on human lives and on the total health effects of air pollution, the excessive mortality costs of two air pollutants - sulfur dioxide (SO/sub 2/) and total suspended particulates (TSP) - are quantified here for most of the 40 Standard Metropolitan Statistical Areas in the United States. Based on 1970 data, total mortality damage for SO/sub 2/ was estimated at $887 million and for TSP at $1.044 billion. The benefit from reducing these pollutants could exceed $1.328 billion annually, a figure useful in evaluating control costs.

• Research Organization: Midwest Research Inst., Kansas City, MO
• OSTI ID: 6236289
• Journal Information: Am. J. Econ. Sociol.; (United States), Vol. 38:2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AEROSOLS
ECONOMIC IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
AIR POLLUTION ABATEMENT
COST
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL
SULFUR DIOXIDE
AIR QUALITY
HEALTH HAZARDS
MORTALITY
PARTICLES
PUBLIC HEALTH
USA
CHALCOGENIDES
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
HAZARDS
NORTH AMERICA
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION ABATEMENT
POLLUTION CONTROL
SOLS
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR OXIDES
290300* - Energy Planning & Policy- Environment
Health
& Safety
500200 - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)