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The Long-Run Spillover Effects of Pollution: How Exposure to Lead Affects Everyone in the Classroom

Author

Listed:
  • Ludovica Gazze
  • Claudia Persico
  • Sandra Spirovska
Abstract
Children exposed to pollutants like lead have lower academic achievement and are more likely to engage in risky behavior. However, little is known about whether lead-exposed children affect the long-run outcomes of their peers. We estimate these spillover effects using unique data on preschool blood lead levels (BLLs) matched to education data for all students in North Carolina public schools. We compare siblings whose school-grade cohorts differ in the proportion of children with elevated BLLs, holding constant school and peers’ demographics. Having more lead-exposed peers is associated with lower high school graduation and SAT-taking rates and increased suspensions and absences.

Suggested Citation

  • Ludovica Gazze & Claudia Persico & Sandra Spirovska, 2024. "The Long-Run Spillover Effects of Pollution: How Exposure to Lead Affects Everyone in the Classroom," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 42(2), pages 357-394.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucp:jlabec:doi:10.1086/723175
    DOI: 10.1086/723175
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    Cited by:

    1. Higney, Anthony & Hanley, Nick & Moro, Mirko, 2022. "The lead-crime hypothesis: A meta-analysis," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    2. Avila-Uribe, Antonio & Roth, Sefi & Shields, Brian, 2024. "Putting Low Emission Zone (LEZ) to the Test: The Effect of London's LEZ on Education," IZA Discussion Papers 17020, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Jessica Sauve‐Syed, 2024. "Lead exposure and student outcomes: A study of Flint schools," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(3), pages 432-448, March.
    4. Eyo I. Herstad & Myungkou Shin, 2024. "Identification of a Rank-dependent Peer Effect Model," Papers 2410.14317, arXiv.org.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • Q52 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Pollution Control Adoption and Costs; Distributional Effects; Employment Effects

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