Particulate Pollution and the Productivity of Pear Packers

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Chang, Tom; Zivin, Joshua Graff; Gross, Tal; Neidell, Matthew
• 署名单位: University of Southern California; University of California System; University of California San Diego; Columbia University; National Bureau of Economic Research
• 刊物名称: AMERICAN ECONOMIC JOURNAL-ECONOMIC POLICY
• ISSN/ISSBN: 1945-7731
• DOI: 10.1257/pol.20150085
• 发表日期: 2016
• 页码: 141-169
• 关键词: air-pollution; HEALTH; performance; particles; exposure; filters; temperature; regression; IMPACT; matter

摘要

We study the effect of outdoor air pollution on the productivity of indoor workers at a pear-packing factory. Increases in fine particulate matter (PM2.5), a pollutant that readily penetrates indoors, leads to significant decreases in productivity, with effects arising at levels below air quality standards. In contrast, pollutants that do not travel indoors, such as ozone, have little, if any, effect on productivity. This effect of outdoor pollution on indoor worker productivity suggests an overlooked consequence of pollution. Back-of-the-envelope calculations suggest the labor savings from nationwide reductions in PM2.5 generated a sizable fraction of total welfare benefits.