| Childhood Lead Poisoning: Conservative Estimates of the Social and Economic Benefits of Lead Hazard Control Elise Gould Economic Policy Institute, Washington, DC, USA 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 ≤ 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. Key words: cost–benefit, economics, housing, lead poisoning. Environ Health Perspect 117:1162–1167 (2009) . doi:10.1289/ehp.0800408 available via http://dx.doi.org/ [Online 31 March 2009]
Address correspondence to E. Gould, Economic Policy Institute, 1333 H St. NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20005 USA. Telephone: (202) 331-5538. Fax: (202) 775-0819. E-mail: egould@epi.org I am grateful to A. Hertel-Fernandez, D. Ratner, and M. Walters for excellent research assistance, and to J. Bivens, D. Jacobs, C. Emig, and three anonymous reviewers for constructive comments. This report was made possible by generous support from the Partnership for America’s Economic Success, the California Endowment, and the William Penn Foundation. The author declares she has no competing financial interests. Received 19 November 2008 ; accepted 31 March 2009.
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