Quantifying the source-receptor relationships of PM2.5 pollution and associated health impacts among China, South Korea, and Japan: A dual perspective and an interdisciplinary approach.

Abstract

Background: Transboundary PM_2.5 pollution is causing significant environmental conflicts among China, South Korea, and Japan. However, efforts to address these conflicts have been impeded by a lack of a comprehensive understanding of source-receptor relationships of PM_2.5 pollution and associated health impacts among these countries.

Objectives: We quantify the extent to which transboundary PM_2.5 pollution and associated health impacts are mutual among the three countries in 2015 and 2017 using three metrics (population-weighted mean PM_2.5 concentration, PM_2.5 population exposure, and PM_2.5-related premature deaths) and two accounting perspectives (production and consumption).

Methods: We adopt an integrated interdisciplinary analysis framework that links an environmentally-extended multi-regional input-output model, a GEOS-Chem chemical transport model, a population exposure model, and an exposure-response model.

Results: From a production perspective, China's contributions to population-weighted mean PM_2.5 concentrations in South Korea and Japan are considerable, while the contributions of South Korea and Japan to China are negligible. However, the contributions from South Korea and Japan to PM_2.5 population exposure and associated premature deaths in China are nonnegligible from both production and consumption perspectives. From a consumption perspective, the contributions of South Korea and Japan to PM_2.5-related premature deaths in China amount to 6.96 [95% confidence interval (CI): 6.36, 7.56] and 9.79 (95% CI: 8.93, 10.64) thousand deaths in 2015, respectively, and 5.03 (95% CI: 4.55, 5.49) and 7.75 (95% CI: 7.02, 8.47) in 2017, respectively. These figures are generally larger than China's contributions to PM_2.5-related premature deaths in South Korea and Japan, which measure 4.63 (95% CI: 3.97, 5.28) and 3.91 (95% CI: 2.78, 5.01) thousand deaths in 2015, respectively, and 4.43 (95% CI: 3.75, 5.1) and 3.69 (95% CI: 2.57, 4.79) in 2017, respectively.

Discussion: Our findings show that mutual contributions of PM_2.5 pollution and associated health impacts among the three countries vary considerably when different metrics and accounting perspectives are applied. A consumption perspective reveals narrower gaps in mutual contributions than a production perspective. Moreover, other countries outside Northeast Asia may have played a significant role in contributing to PM_2.5 pollution and associated health impacts in Northeast Asia, suggesting that Northeast Asian countries should look beyond this region and collaborate with the rest of the world to jointly develop effective PM_2.5 mitigation strategies. Our findings could help policy makers, scholars, and the public in China, South Korea, and Japan understand the intricacies involved in assigning environmental responsibilities and achieving environmental justice with respect to transboundary PM_2.5 pollution.https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP14550.