Assessment of health-based economic costs linked to fine particulate (PM2.5) pollution: a case study of haze during January 2013 in Beijing, China

Beijing is a haze-prone city, which experienced continuous haze during January 2013. The mean fine particulate (PM2.5) concentrations during January 2013 were 98-228 mu g/m(3), which were much higher than the mean concentration of 25 mu g/m(3) over 24 h suggested by the Air Quality Guidelines of the World Health Organization. This event provides a case study to evaluate the effects of extreme haze on health and its subsequent economic costs. We evaluated the health impacts on the Beijing population that were directly attributable to PM2.5 pollution during the haze. Based on the principle of willingness to pay, we estimated the economic costs associated with these health impacts. This specific haze event in Beijing caused 479 acute deaths from all causes. The economic cost of the deaths attributed to PM2.5 pollution was similar to 180 million USD, equivalent to 0.76 % of the gross domestic product (GDP). We also assessed discrepancies in economic costs at the district level in Beijing. Our results revealed that the ratios of economic cost to GDP varied markedly among the 16 districts of Beijing. Such data are relevant to formulating more effective countermeasures to reduce the economic burden associated with severe weather events such as haze.