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Effect of Waterborne Uranium Exposure on Human Capital Endowment Proxies

Author

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  • Michael Spanbauer

    (Department of Economics, Tulane University)

Abstract

This paper examines the causal relationship between waterborne uranium exposure and birth outcomes in order to more fully understand the external costs of the activities that increase the probability of human exposure to uranium, such as the prevalent military use of depleted uranium munitions. I use the Church Rock Uranium Mill industrial accident as a natural experiment, in which children born in specific counties are exposed to uranium via a contaminated water supply. I examine changes in birth outcomes, which approximate human capital endowment at birth, and I find that waterborne uranium contamination does not manifest via observable decreases in birth outcomes, specifically birth weight, or via changes in gender ratios. I also provide evidence suggesting that migratory responses to the contamination are not driving a change in the population's determinants of birth outcomes. Collectively, these results support modern militaries' claims that the risk of unintentional harm by uranium based weapons are "negligible".

Suggested Citation

  • Michael Spanbauer, 2018. "Effect of Waterborne Uranium Exposure on Human Capital Endowment Proxies," Working Papers 1807, Tulane University, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:tul:wpaper:1807
    as

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    File URL: http://repec.tulane.edu/RePEc/pdf/tul1807.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Uranium; birth outcomes; human capital endowment; Church Rock;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D62 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Externalities
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • I39 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Other
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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