Cited by 321Heavy Metal Exposure and ToxicityEnvironmental Justice and Health DisparitiesHeavy metals in environment

Childhood Lead Poisoning: Conservative Estimates of the Social and Economic Benefits of Lead Hazard Control

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Gould, Elise·2009·Environmental Health Perspectives

Abstract

BACKGROUND: This study is a cost-benefit analysis that quantifies the social and economic benefits to household lead paint hazard control compared with the investments needed to minimize exposure to these hazards. OBJECTIVES: This research updates estimates of elevated blood lead levels among a cohort of children < or = 6 years of age and compiles recent research to determine a range of the costs of lead paint hazard control ($1-$11 billion) and the benefits of reduction attributed to each cohort for health care ($11-$53 billion), lifetime earnings ($165-$233 billion), tax revenue ($25-$35 billion), special education ($30-$146 million), attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder ($267 million), and the direct costs of crime ($1.7 billion). RESULTS: Each dollar invested in lead paint hazard control results in a return of $17-$221 or a net savings of $181-269 billion. CONCLUSIONS: There are substantial returns to investing in lead hazard control, particularly targeted at early intervention in communities most likely at risk. Given the high societal costs of inaction, lead hazard control appears to be well worth the price.

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  1. Birnbaum HG Kessler RC Lowe SW Secnik K Greenberg PE Leong SA 2005 Costs of attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the US: excess costs of persons with ADHD in 2000 Curr Med Research Opin 21 195 205 15801990
  2. Brown MJ 2007 Interpreting and managing blood lead levels < 10 μg/dL in children and reducing childhood exposures to lead MMWR Recomm Rep 56 1 14 17975528
  3. Reyes JW 2002 The Impact of Lead Exposure on Crime and Health: and an Analysis of the Market for Physicians [PhD thesis] Cambridge, MA Harvard University, Department of Economics

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Authors
Gould, E.
Affiliations
Economic Policy Institute (US)
Corresponding author
Gould, Elise
Venue
Environmental Health Perspectives
Published
2009-03-31
Volume
117
Issue
7
Pages
1162-1167
ISSN
  • 0091-6765 (ISSN-L)
  • 1552-9924
OpenAlex
W2002135203
Cited by
319
References
45
Citations by year
2026: 9 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 24 · 2022: 20 · 2021: 26 · 2020: 21 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 31 · 2017: 21 · 2016: 29 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 22 · 2013: 18 · 2012: 11
FWCI
9.23
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Environmental Health Perspectives (publishedVersion, public-domain)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, public-domain)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Heavy Metal Exposure and Toxicity
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Environmental Justice and Health Disparities
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Heavy metals in environment
Keywords
childhood lead poisoning, cost-benefit analysis, blood lead levels, special education costs, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, crime costs, lifetime earnings, tax revenue, early intervention, lead exposure
MeSH terms
Child, Child, Preschool, Cost-Benefit Analysis, Female, Humans, Lead, Lead Poisoning, Male, Paint, Health Care Costs

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