Health impact and monetary cost of exposure to particulate matter emitted from biomass burning in large cities.
The study deals with the assessment of health impact and the respective economic cost attributed to particulate matter (PM) emitted into the atmosphere from biomass burning for space heating, focusing on the differences between the warm and cold seasons in 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 in Thessaloniki (Greece). Health impact was assessed based on estimated exposure levels and the use of established WHO concentration-response functions (CRFs) for all-cause mortality, infant mortality, new chronic bronchitis cases, respiratory and cardiac hospital admissions. Monetary cost was based on the valuation of the willingness-to-pay/accept (WTP/WTA), to avoid or compensate for the loss of welfare associated with illness. Results showed that long term mortality during the 2012-2013 winter increased by 200 excess deaths in a city of almost 900,000 inhabitants or 3540 years of life lost, corresponding to an economic cost of almost 200-250m€. New chronic bronchitis cases dominate morbidity estimates (490 additional new cases corresponding to a monetary cost of 30m€). Estimated health and monetary impacts are more severe during the cold season, despite its smaller duration (4 months). Considering that the increased ambient air concentrations (and the integral of outdoor/indoor exposure) are explained by shifting from oil to biomass for domestic heating purposes, several alternative scenarios were evaluated. Policy scenario analysis revealed that significant public health and monetary benefits (up to 2b€ in avoided mortality and 130m€ in avoided illness) might be obtained by limiting the biomass share in the domestic heat energy mix. Fiscal policy affecting fuels/technologies used for domestic heating needs to be reconsidered urgently, since the net tax loss from avoided oil taxation due to reduced consumption was further compounded by the public health cost of increased mid-term morbidity and mortality.
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Department of Chemical Engineering, Environmental Engineering Laboratory, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (CE.R.T.H.), 57001 Thessaloniki, Greece. Electronic address: denis@eng.auth.gr.
Dimosthenis Α
DΑ
Sarigiannis
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Department of Chemical Engineering, Environmental Engineering Laboratory, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (CE.R.T.H.), 57001 Thessaloniki, Greece.
Spyros P
SP
Karakitsios
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Department of Chemical Engineering, Environmental Engineering Laboratory, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece.
Marianthi V
MV
Kermenidou
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018533:Biomass; D002947:Cities; D017281:Cost of Illness; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006115:Greece; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis; D011634:Public Health; D012621:Seasons
D000393:Air Pollutants; D052638:Particulate Matter
Biomass burning; Health impact; Monetary valuation; Morbidity; Mortality