Assessment of human health costs associated with particulate material (PM2.5) in Bogotá

According to the latest study by the National Institute of Health, environmental risk factors, including air pollution, affect social costs (burden of the disease) that amount to an average of 585.476 million pesos, which constitutes 0.0678 % of the national GDP; in the case of the economic burden attributable to the air quality irrigation factor, the figure amounts to 451,862 million pesos. In the particular case of the city of Bogotá, air pollution in Bogotá has an impact on costs of 4.2 billion pesos, according to a study by the National Planning Department, in addition, the main pollutant in Bogotá is particulate matter (PM), in its two fractions PM10 and PM2.5, whose main emission sources are in the burning of fossil fuels in vehicles and industries, as well as the resuspension of dust deposited on the roads, coming from erosion processes, wear of brakes, tires and pavements. In this work, research results related to the estimation of costs per ton reduced of PM are presented for 4 scenarios where emission reduction strategies for the year 2030 related to the technological advancement in private vehicles, cargo, public transport and motorcycles are evaluated. The economic valuation of the scenarios was carried out based on investment unit values for changes in the fleets projected to 2030. The calculation in the reduction of emissions was carried out taking into account a 2030 trend scenario, without considering any strategy, and the change in emissions when implementing the strategies of the 4 scenarios. To this end, a bottom-up estimate of the emissions inventory was made using an emissions application developed by the University of La Salle and Ecopetrol for each scenario, including the trend. For both PM10 and PM2.5. The lowest costs per ton reduced were found for the vehicle renewal strategy in cargo vehicles, being 21 and 25 million pesos per ton respectively.