While chemicals play an important role in daily life, they must be soundly managed to limit risks to human health and the environment. Cost-benefit analysis is often used by regulators to compare the societal benefits of regulating chemicals against the costs of policy implementation. However, data on the economic benefits of potential policies are often lacking.
Across ten health effects, this report quantifies the monetary benefit of reducing non-fatal impacts from exposure to chemicals, which include the physical, emotional, social and economic burden. It does so by synthesising evidence from 96 surveys collected across 116 000 respondents in 28 countries as part of the OECD Surveys on Willingness-to-pay to Avoid negative Chemicals-related Health Effects project. It subsequently includes guidance for the use of the derived estimates in cost-benefit analysis as well as their transfer to non-surveyed countries and policy contexts. The estimates presented in this report are intended to improve the basis for assessing chemicals management options and environmental policies.