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. 2008 Dec 19;2:137–155. doi: 10.4137/EHI.S1152

Table 3.

Reducing exposure to air pollution—main features of reviewed economic evaluation studies.

Studies (intervention options) Country Study type and year of cost data Benefits included Costs included Key results Reference and source
Outdoor air pollution
Stabilized diesel/ethanol mixture in the bus and truck fleet Brazil (Sao Paolo) CBA; model; 2005 Job generation, potential carbon credits, health Installation NPV: US$2.8 m [70]PM
Retrofitting diesel vehicles with
  1. Catalyzed diesel particulate filters

  2. Regenerating diesel particulate filters

  3. Diesel oxidation catalysts

Mexico (Mexico City) CBA; model; 2000 Health (mortality) Program (capital, recurrent) For older/newer buses, cost per life saved:
  1. n.c./US$109,000

  2. US$56,000/190,000

  3. US$24,000/53,000

[71]PM
45 Federal Rules to reduce hazardous air pollutants U.S.A CBA; model; 2004 Health Compliance and monitoring BCR: 2.72–13.0 [69]DR
Clean Air Act U.S.A CBA; model (1990–2010); 1990 Health, crops, visibility R&D, capital, operations and maintenance BCR: 3.8 [68]DR
Acid Rain Program (Title IV of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments) U.S.A CBA; model; 2000 Health, visibility, fishing, ecosystem Annualized costs until the year 2010 BCR: 40.7 [72]PM
Meet air quality targets Europe CBA; model; 2000 Health, productivity Capital and recurrent BCR: 6.0 [66]DR
Meet air quality standards U.K CBA; model; 2005 Health Capital and recurrent BCR 0.9–3.8 [67]DR
Substitute natural gas for coal China (Beijing, Chongqing) CBA; model; 1998 Health, fuel Equipment and new fuel sources IRR: 29% to 75% [64]PR
  1. Energy production emissions control

  2. Industrial sector emissions control

China (Shanghai) CBA; model; 1998 Health, productivity Regulations, facility closure, equipment
  1. BCR: 1.1

  2. BCR: 2.8

[63]PR
SO2 emissions control (3 policy eras) Japan CBA; model; 1993 Health, productivity Investment, fuel conversion and running BCR Phase 1. 5.39
BCR Phase 2. 1.18
BCR Phase 3. 0.41
[62]PR
NO2 emissions control (1973–94) Japan (Tokyo) CBA; model; 1995 Health, productivity Capital and recurrent: industry and government BCR: 6.1 [73]PM
Implementing national energy programmer Hungary CBA; model; 1994 Health, crops, materials Investment and recurrent BCR: 3.0–17.0 [59]PM
Emission reduction in oil extraction industry Kazakhstan CBA; case control; 2001 Health Investment, maintenance BCR: 5.7 [65]PR
Emissions reductions from traditional brick kilns
  1. Modified kilns

  2. Switch to natural gas

  3. Relocation of kilns

  4. No-burn days

Mexico (Juarez) CBA; model; 1999 Health Capital, operation and maintenance
  1. US$29 m NPV

  2. US$29 m NPV

  3. US$16 m NPV

  4. US$1 m NPV

[60]PR
  1. Fixed source emission reduction

  2. Vehicle emission reduction

Chile (Santiago) CBA; model; 1996 Health (not stated)
  1. BCR: 2.4

  2. BCR: 1.2 to 2.4

[61]PR
Indoor air pollution
  1. Improved stoves

  2. Clean fuel use (LPG)

Global, WHO sub-regions CBA; model; 2005 Health, productivity, VOSL, fuel, forest, greenhouse gases, time Investment, O&M, programmer
  1. BCR negative

  2. BCR 1.5 to 21.2

[77]PR
  1. Improved stoves

  2. Clean fuel use (LPG)

  3. Clean fuel use (kerosene)

Global, WHO sub-regions CEA; model; 2000 (International $) Health Investment, O&M, programmer
  1. US$500–7800 HLY

  2. US$1410–24100 HLY

  3. US$260–16200 HLY

[78]PR
Improved stoves Malawi CBA, CEA; field data; 2007 Fuel, forest, greenhouse gases Stove and stove promotion BCR: US$5.2
NPV: US$6.6 m
[76]DR
Improved stoves Uganda CBA, CEA; field data; 2007 Fuel, time, health, productivity, forests, soil, greenhouse gases Stove and stove promotion BCR: US$24.6
NPV: US$84 m
[75]DR
Improved stoves, LPG stoves, wall insulation or smoke hoods Kenya, Nepal, Sudan CBA; field data/model; 2007 Fuel, health, productivity, time Societal investment and recurrent costs BCR: 1.4 to 21.4
IRR: 19% to 429%
[74]BC
Integrated biogas, latrine and hygiene programmer (from Table 1) SSA, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia CBA; model with field data; 2006 Fuel, health, productivity, VOSL, forest, greenhouse gases, time, lighting Construction, O&M, programmer costs BCR > 4.5
EIRR > 78%
[36]DR

Abbrevations: LPG, liquefied petroleum gas; HLY, healthy life year; SSA, sub-Saharan Africa; R&D, research and development; n.c., not calculated; m, million; Other abbreviations: see Table 1.