Journal
JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY
Volume 38, Issue 4, Pages 395-406Publisher
PALGRAVE MACMILLAN LTD
DOI: 10.1057/s41271-017-0087-7
Keywords
arsenic; governance; drinking water; regulation; public health policy; Mexico
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Funding
- National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities of the US National Institutes of Health [MD 001452]
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Global concern about arsenic in drinking water and its link to numerous diseases make translation of evidence-based research into national policy a priority. Delays in establishing a maximum contaminant level (MCL) to preserve health have increased the burden of disease and caused substantial and avoidable loss of life. The current Mexican MCL for arsenic in drinking water is 25 mu g/l (2.5 times higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation from 1993). Mexico's struggles to set its arsenic MCL offer a compelling example of shortcomings in environmental health policy. We explore factors that might facilitate policy change in Mexico: scientific evidence, risk communication and public access to information, economic and technological resources, and politics. To raise awareness of the health, societal, and economic implications of arsenic contamination of drinking water in Mexico, we suggest action steps for attaining environmental policy change and better protect population health.
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