Large scale OECD health valuation study to estimate the economic benefits of chemical regulation

Abstract Chemical regulation aims at protecting human health and the environment from the risks of chemicals, while recognizing the economic importance of the use of chemicals. Assessment of the societal impacts of chemical regulation and different policy options requires information on both costs and benefits. So far, regulators assessing chemicals regulations has not had access to high quality and internationally comparable data on the full monetary benefit of reducing health and environmental risk. The OECD has implemented a multi-country stated preference valuation project that covers ten chemicals-related health conditions (e.g. asthma, kidney disease, infertility, etc.) with more than 80 surveys with large samples in 22 countries. The OECD Surveys on Willingness-to-Pay to Avoid Negative Chemicals-Related Health Impacts (SWACHE) project aims to establish internationally comparable values for the willingness-to-pay (WTP) to avoid negative health effects due to exposure to chemicals. The values can be used to demonstrate and measure the economic benefits of minimising the morbidity impacts of chemical regulations, environmental policies and public policies in general. The latest valuation results of the project will be presented, along with key aspects of the joint methodology used and the plans to further expand this work. In addition, the OECD is collaborating with other intergovernmental organisations via the Inter-Organization Programme for the Sound Management of Chemicals (IOMC) to update the cost of inaction estimates for chemicals as part of the Global Framework on Chemicals. An update on this initiative, that can benefit from the results of the SWACHE project, will be provided.