Working Paper: NBER ID: w16844
Authors: Janet Currie; Michael Greenstone; Enrico Moretti
Abstract: We are the first to examine the effect of Superfund cleanups on infant health rather than focusing on proximity to a site. We study singleton births to mothers residing within 5km of a Superfund site between 1989-2003 in five large states. Our "difference in differences" approach compares birth outcomes before and after a site clean-up for mothers who live within 2,000 meters of the site and those who live between 2,000- 5,000 meters of a site. We find that proximity to a Superfund site before cleanup is associated with a 20 to 25% increase in the risk of congenital anomalies.
Keywords: Superfund; Infant Health; Congenital Anomalies; Environmental Policy
JEL Codes: H4; I1; Q5
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Proximity to a superfund site before cleanup (R53) | Increase in the risk of congenital anomalies among infants (J13) |
| Superfund cleanups (Q52) | Reduction in congenital anomalies (J13) |
| Superfund cleanups (Q52) | Decline in infant mortality rates (J13) |
| Congenital anomalies reduction (J13) | Other health outcomes (I12) |
| Socioeconomic factors (P23) | Health outcomes near hazardous sites (I14) |