Oregon Public Broadcasting

Health problems caused by pollution cost Oregonians more than $1.5 billion annually, according to a report released Wednesday. Pete Springer reports.

“The Price of Pollution” is a report that estimates the cost of environmentally-related disease in Oregon.

The study was released by the Oregon Environmental Council.

It analyzes the relationship between pollution-related diseases including cancer and asthma, and how those illnesses  can lead to lost worker productivity and higher health insurance rates.

The pollution-driven health problem that takes the highest financial toll in Oregon is lead poisoning among children.  It drains the state of $878 million in lost earnings annually.

Study author Renee Hackenmiller-Paradis, who has graduate degrees in public health policy and genetics, explains.

Renee Hakenmiller-Paradis: “Lead is a neurotoxin and so it reduces the IQ of children who have lead poisoning and that impacts their future earning potential.”

It’s estimated that a child loses more than 2-percent of lifetime earning potential per IQ point lost.