World Bank experts evaluated the global consequences of lead pollution on human health and the global economy. The study was published in the scientific journal magazine Lancet.
They estimate that 5.5 million adults worldwide died from lead-related cardiovascular disease in 2019 alone. This is six times more than previously estimated.
Additionally, that same year, 756 million IQ points were lost among children under five due to lead poisoning.
The global cost of exposure to lead pollution during this period was $6 trillion, almost 7% of global GDP. Of this amount, 77 percent represents the social cost of heart disease, and the remaining 23 percent represents the estimated cost of lost future income due to intellectual decline.
The study’s authors noted that more comprehensive measurements of blood lead levels are needed at a national level around the world. It is important for countries to identify and address sources of lead exposure. They also note that the global health impacts and costs of other chemicals need to be evaluated in a similar way.
Previous scientists warned About atmospheric pollution from heavy metals from space launches.