Childhood lead exposure in France: benefit estimation and partial cost-benefit analysis of lead hazard control

Environmental Health

Research

Martine Bellanger¹  Céline Pichery¹  Denis Zmirou-Navier²  Philippe Glorennec³  Philippe Hartemann⁴  Philippe Grandjean⁵ 

[1] EHESP School of Public Health, CS 74312 - 35043, Rennes Cedex, France;EHESP School of Public Health, CS 74312 - 35043, Rennes Cedex, France;INSERM U 954 "Nutrition, genetics and environmental risks", Medical School, BP 18 54505, 9 av de la Forêt de Haye, Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy Cedex, France;Nancy University Medical School, Public Health department, Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy Cedex, France;EHESP School of Public Health, CS 74312 - 35043, Rennes Cedex, France;IRSET-Research Institute for Environmental and Occupational Health-INSERM, U625, Rennes, France;INSERM U 954 "Nutrition, genetics and environmental risks", Medical School, BP 18 54505, 9 av de la Forêt de Haye, Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy Cedex, France;Nancy University Medical School, Public Health department, Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy Cedex, France;Institute of Public Health University of Southern Denmark, J. B Winsloewsvej 17, DK-5000, dense, Denmark;Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, 02215, Boston, MA, USA;

关键词: Abatement Cost;    Lead Exposure;    Blood Lead Level;    Lead Poisoning;    Lead Toxicity;   

DOI  :  10.1186/1476-069X-10-44

 received in 2011-01-31, accepted in 2011-05-20,  发布年份 2011

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundLead exposure remains a public health concern due to its serious adverse effects, such as cognitive and behavioral impairment: children younger than six years of age being the most vulnerable population. In Europe, the lead-related economic impacts have not been examined in detail. We estimate the annual costs in France due to childhood exposure and, through a cost benefit analysis (CBA), aim to assess the expected social and economic benefits of exposure abatement.MethodsMonetary benefits were assessed in terms of avoided national costs. We used results from a 2008 survey on blood-lead (B-Pb) concentrations in French children aged one to six years old. Given the absence of a threshold concentration being established, we performed a sensitivity analysis assuming different hypothetical threshold values for toxicity above 15 μg/L, 24 μg/L and 100 μg/L. Adverse health outcomes of lead exposure were translated into social burden and economic costs based on literature data from literature. Direct health benefits, social benefits and intangible avoided costs were included. Costs of pollutant exposure control were partially estimated in regard to homes lead-based paint decontamination, investments aiming at reducing industrial lead emissions and removal of all lead drinking water pipes.ResultsThe following overall annual benefits for the three hypothetical thresholds values in 2008 are: €22.72 billion, €10.72 billion and €0.44 billion, respectively. Costs from abatement ranged from €0.9 billion to 2.95 billion/year. Finally, from a partial CBA of lead control in soils and dust the estimates of total net benefits were € 3.78 billion, € 1.88 billion and €0.25 billion respectively for the three hypothesized B-Pb effect values.ConclusionsPrevention of childhood lead exposure has a high social benefit, due to reduction of B-Pb concentrations to levels below 15 μg/L or 24 μg/L, respectively. Reducing only exposures above 100 μg/L B-Pb has little economic impact due to the small number of children who now exhibit such high exposure levels. Prudent public policies would help avoiding future medical interventions, limit the need for special education and increase future productivity, and hence lifetime income for children exposed to lead.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Pichery et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2011