Independent · Local · Community-first
great salt lake dust could cost utah 2.3 billion a year in healthcare
Researchers say dust from the exposed lakebed could increase hospital visits, respiratory and cardiovascular problems, and premature deaths as the Great Salt Lake shrinks.
Dust from the shrinking Great Salt Lake could generate an estimated $1.1 billion to $2.3 billion in health-related costs each year, according to a new working paper.
Researchers found that expanding areas of exposed lakebed contribute to increased particle pollution, with effects detected as far as 62 miles away. The estimate includes emergency room visits and the economic impact of lives shortened by pollution exposure.
The researchers also concluded that getting more water into the lake could provide greater health benefits than the estimated cost of acquiring that water.
The paper has not yet completed peer review, and researchers describe the findings as an early estimate of the potential health consequences.
