Assessment of health and economic benefits of reducing fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentration in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Abstract

Ambient fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) is a growing issue in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), the most populous province in Viet Nam. Estimating the benefits of reducing PM_2.5 levels has still been sparse in HCMC.

The study used the Environmental Benefits Mapping and Analysis Program – Community Edition (BenMAP-CE) to estimate the health, and economic benefits in three controlling scenarios of annual average PM_2.5 concentration in 2019 (28.9 µg/m³) rolling back to the World Health Organization's annual average Air Quality Guideline values of 5 µg/m³ (guideline value in 2021), and 10 µg/m³ (guideline value in 2005 which becomes Interim Target 4 of 2021 WHO Air Quality Guideline), and the Vietnamese annual average standard of 25 µg/m³.

The annual average concentration of PM_2.5 in 2019 was 28.9 µg/m³. Applying BenMAP-CE, the pooled number of avoided deaths of all causes was 3,785 (1,179–6,335), 3,195 (982–5,468), and 1,300 (384–2,386) for three scenarios, respectively. The economic benefits were $ 2.4 (0.8–4.1), $ 2.1 (0.6–3.5), and $ 0.8 (0.2–1.5) billion, using the Value of Statistical Life (VSL) of OECD (the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) and $ 3.7 (1.2–6.2), $ 3.1 (1.0–5.4) and $ 1.3 (0.4–2.3) billion, using the VSL of USEPA (the United States Environmental Protection Agency).

The annual average PM_2.5 concentration in HCMC exceeded the Vietnamese standard and WHO guidelines. Controlling PM_2.5 showed massive benefits for health and the economy; thus, the city should have action plans for mitigating the PM_2.5 pollution.