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It's an ill wind: The effect of fine particulate air pollution on respiratory hospitalizations

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  • Courtney J. Ward

Abstract

While a growing literature in economics has established the harmful health effects of longstanding criteria air pollutants such as ozone and carbon monoxide, fine particulate air pollution is relatively understudied. This paper provides evidence on the harmful effects of fine particulate pollution for Ontario, where municipalities enjoy particulate levels well below US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards and predominantly below Canada-wide standards. Results provide strong evidence for the detrimental effect of fine particulate pollution for the respiratory health of children, with a one standard deviation change in particulate pollution, leading to a 4% increase in respiratory admissions. While these results inform the stringency of current pollution standards, they also highlight the importance of an international approach to air quality. For instance, the paper also shows that particulate levels in Ontario municipalities are strongly influenced by southerly winds from US jurisdictions, which adhere to more lenient EPA standards.

Suggested Citation

  • Courtney J. Ward, 2015. "It's an ill wind: The effect of fine particulate air pollution on respiratory hospitalizations," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 48(5), pages 1694-1732, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:cje:issued:v:48:y:2015:i:5:p:1694-1732
    DOI: 10.1111/caje.12177
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    Cited by:

    1. Giaccherini, Matilde & Kopinska, Joanna & Palma, Alessandro, 2021. "When particulate matter strikes cities: Social disparities and health costs of air pollution," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    2. Clara Kögel, 2022. "The impact of air pollution on labour productivity in France," Documents de travail du Centre d'Economie de la Sorbonne 22020, Université Panthéon-Sorbonne (Paris 1), Centre d'Economie de la Sorbonne.
    3. Timothy J Halliday & John Lynham & Áureo de Paula, 2019. "Vog: Using Volcanic Eruptions to Estimate the Health Costs of Particulates," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 129(620), pages 1782-1816.
    4. Evangelina Dardati & Ramiro de Elejalde & Eugenio Giolito, 2024. "On the short‐term impact of pollution: The effect of PM 2.5 on emergency room visits," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(3), pages 482-508, March.
    5. Austin M. Williams & Daniel J. Phaneuf, 2019. "The Morbidity Costs of Air Pollution: Evidence from Spending on Chronic Respiratory Conditions," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 74(2), pages 571-603, October.
    6. Tatyana Deryugina & Nolan Miller & David Molitor & Julian Reif, 2021. "Geographic and Socioeconomic Heterogeneity in the Benefits of Reducing Air Pollution in the United States," Environmental and Energy Policy and the Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 2(1), pages 157-189.
    7. Austin, Wes & Carattini, Stefano & Gomez-Mahecha, John & Pesko, Michael F., 2023. "The effects of contemporaneous air pollution on COVID-19 morbidity and mortality," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    8. Duque, Valentina & Gilraine, Michael, 2020. "Coal Use and Student Performance," Working Papers 2020-07, University of Sydney, School of Economics.
    9. Wang, Qinyun & Wang, Xuebin & Yan, Qianhui & Zhang, Lvqing, 2024. "Heavy industry regulations, hospitalization, and medical expenditures: Evidence from micro-level medical records in a northeast Chinese city," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    10. Rocha, Rudi & Sant’Anna, André Albuquerque, 2022. "Winds of fire and smoke: Air pollution and health in the Brazilian Amazon," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    11. Jill Furzer & Boriana Miloucheva, 2020. "The Long Arm of the Clean Air Act: Pollution Abatement and COVID-19 Racial Disparities," Working Papers tecipa-668, University of Toronto, Department of Economics.
    12. Mariano J. Rabassa & Mariana Conte Grand & Christian M. García-Witulski, 2021. "Heat warnings and avoidance behavior: evidence from a bike-sharing system," Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Springer;Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - SEEPS, vol. 23(1), pages 1-28, January.
    13. Zhuanlan Sun & Demi Zhu, 2019. "Exposure to outdoor air pollution and its human health outcomes: A scoping review," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(5), pages 1-18, May.
    14. Singh, Tejendra Pratap & Visaria, Sujata, 2021. "Up in the Air: Air Pollution and Crime – Evidence from India," SocArXiv hs4xj, Center for Open Science.
    15. McKenzie H. Tilstra & Ishwar Tiwari & Leigh Niwa & Sandra Campbell & Charlene C. Nielsen & C. Allyson Jones & Alvaro Osornio Vargas & Okan Bulut & Bernadette Quemerais & Jordana Salma & Kyle Whitfield, 2021. "Risk and Resilience: How Is the Health of Older Adults and Immigrant People Living in Canada Impacted by Climate- and Air Pollution-Related Exposures?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(20), pages 1-22, October.

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    JEL classification:

    • D80 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - General

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