Economic benefits from decreased mercury emissions: Projections for 2020 |
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| Authors: | Kyrre Sundseth Jozef M Pacyna Elisabeth G Pacyna John Munthe Mohammed Belhaj Stefan Astrom |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA;2. Department of Biostatistics, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark;3. Department of Medical Biochemistry, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, N-7021 Trondheim, Norway;4. Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children''s and Women''s Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, N-7491 Trondheim, Norway;5. Faroese Hospital System, Torshavn, Faroe Islands;6. Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark;1. University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Institute for Occupational and Maritime Medicine, Translational Toxicology and Immunology Unit, Hamburg, Germany;2. University of Leuven, Center for Human Genetics, Leuven, Belgium |
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| Abstract: | Anthropogenic processes have increased the exposure of humans and wildlife to toxic methyl mercury (MeHg). Mercury emissions will increase by about 25% between 2005 and 2020, if the present trajectory is maintained. A global assessment of societal damages caused by the ingestion of methyl mercury, based merely on loss of IQ (Intelligence Quotient), suggests that the annual cost will be approximately US$3.7 billion (2005 dollars) in 2020. The corresponding cost of damages resulting from the inhalation of methyl mercury is estimated at US$2.9 million (2005 dollars). Under a higher degree of emission control such as in the case of the Extended Emission Control (EXEC) and the Maximum Feasible Technological Reduction (MFTR) scenarios, total emissions could decrease in the period 2005–2020 by about 50–60%. The corresponding annual benefits in 2020 are estimated to be about US$1.8–2.2 billion (2005 dollars). Large economic benefits can be achieved by reducing global mercury emissions. |
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