Quantifying the Efficiency and Equity Implications of Power Plant Air Pollution Control Strategies in the United States

Details

• Personal Author:
  Levy JI ; Wilson AM ; Zwack, Leonard M.
• Description:
  BACKGROUND: In deciding among competing approaches for emissions control, debates often hinge on the potential tradeoffs between efficiency and equity. However, previous health benefits analyses have not formally addressed both dimensions. OBJECTIVES: We modeled the public health benefits and the change in the spatial inequality of health risk for a number of hypothetical control scenarios for power plants in the United States to determine optimal control strategies. METHODS: We simulated various ways by which emission reductions of sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides, and fine particulate matter (particulate matter < 2.5 um in diameter; PM2.5) could be distributed to reach national emissions caps. We applied a source-receptor matrix to determine the PM2.5 concentration changes associated with each control scenario and estimated the mortality reductions. We estimated changes in the spatial inequality of health risk using the Atkinson index and other indicators, following previously derived axioms for measuring health risk inequality. RESULTS: In our baseline model, benefits ranged from 17,000-21,000 fewer premature deaths per year across control scenarios. Scenarios with greater health benefits also tended to have greater reductions in the spatial inequality of health risk, as many sources with high health benefits per unit emissions of SO2 were in areas with high background PM2.5 concentrations. Sensitivity analyses indicated that conclusions were generally robust to the choice of indicator and other model specifications. CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis demonstrates an approach for formally quantifying both the magnitude and spatial distribution of health benefits of pollution control strategies, allowing for joint consideration of efficiency and equity. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Environmental Exposure Hazardous Substances Mortality Occupational Health Particulate Matter Risk Assessment Risk Factors Safety
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Environmental Justice Emission Sources Equity Exposure Levels Fatalities Health Effects Health Hazards Models Mortality Rates Nitrogen Oxides Particulate Matter Particulates Pollution Power Plant Premature Mortality Risk Assessment Risk Factors Sulfur Dioxide

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• ISSN:
  0091-6765
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Massachusetts ; OSHA Region 1
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  115
• Issue:
  5
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20057487
• Citation:
  Environ Health Perspect 2007 May; 115(5):743-750
• Contact Point Address:
  J.I. Levy, Harvard School of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health, Landmark Center 4th Floor West, Room 404K, 401 Park Dr., Boston, MA 02215
• Email:
  jilevy@hsph.harvard.edu
• CAS Registry Number:
  Nitrogen dioxide (CAS RN 10102-44-0) ; Sulfur dioxide (CAS RN 7446-09-5)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2007
• Performing Organization:
  Harvard School of Public Health
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Environmental Health Perspectives
• End Date:
  20280630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:665318c65f761889293802481fd8fc3589fbc6875e15f1fa7ac852dddffc827ee4a036017321358cb8959e2e6ceecf56ec8b64a9b1e0329f1a658103ca181321
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/214826/cdc_214826_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 849.32 KB ]