Abstract
BackgroundCost-benefit analysis is a transparent tool to inform policy makers about the potential effect of regulatory interventions, nevertheless its use to evaluate clean-up interventions in polluted industrial sites is limited. The two industrial areas of Gela and Priolo in Italy were declared "at high risk of environmental crisis" in 1990. Since then little has been done to clean the polluted sites and reduce the health outcomes attributable to pollution exposure. This study, aims to quantify the monetary benefits resulting from clean-up interventions in the contaminated sites of Gela and Priolo.MethodsA damage function approach was used to estimate the number of health outcomes attributable to industrial pollution exposure. Extensive one way analyses and probabilistic analyses were conducted to investigate the sensitivity of results to different model assumptions.ResultsIt has been estimated that, on average, 47 cases of premature death, 281 cases of cancer and 2,702 cases of non-cancer hospital admission could be avoided each year by removing environmental exposure in these two areas. Assuming a 20 year cessation lag and a 4% discount rate we calculate that the potential monetary benefit of removing industrial pollution is €3,592 million in Priolo and €6,639 million in Gela.ConclusionsGiven the annual number of health outcomes attributable to pollution exposure the effective clean-up of Gela and Priolo should be prioritised. This study suggests that clean-up policies costing up to €6,639 million in Gela and €3,592 million in Priolo would be cost beneficial. These two amounts are notably higher than the funds allocated thus far to clean up the two sites, €127.4 million in Gela and €774.5 million in Priolo, implying that further economic investments - even considerable ones - could still prove cost beneficial.
Highlights
Cost-benefit analysis is a transparent tool to inform policy makers about the potential effect of regulatory interventions, its use to evaluate clean-up interventions in polluted industrial sites is limited
One recent descriptive study conducted in Gela and Priolo by the Dipartimento Osservatorio Epidemiologico (DOE) of the Sicilian Region showed excesses of overall mortality, of all cancer mortality and of many cancer and non-cancer cases when compared with regional and local reference levels [9]
Assuming a 20 year cessation lag, a 4% discount rate and that the benefits will last 50 years the potential monetary benefit from abating industrial pollution in Gela and Priolo was estimated for each health outcome separately (Table 2)
Summary
Cost-benefit analysis is a transparent tool to inform policy makers about the potential effect of regulatory interventions, its use to evaluate clean-up interventions in polluted industrial sites is limited. Priolo and Gela, in south-east Sicily, provide extensively documented cases of toxic contaminated sites where, due to the presence of large petrochemical industrial plants and to widely diffuse environmental pollution, several negative health effects have been observed. One recent descriptive study conducted in Gela and Priolo by the Dipartimento Osservatorio Epidemiologico (DOE) of the Sicilian Region showed excesses of overall mortality, of all cancer mortality and of many cancer and non-cancer cases when compared with regional and local reference levels [9]. These factors cause increasing concern in the local communities [14]. Little has been done to reduce the exposure of the local population to pollution
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Environmental health : a global access science source
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
