The Effect of Open-Air Waste Burning on Infant Health: Evidence from Government Failure in Lebanon

Abstract

An estimated 40% of the world’s garbage is burned in open-air fires, which are responsible for up to half of the global emissions of some pollutants. This paper estimates the effect of in utero exposure to these burns on infant health by examining the consequences of an abrupt, unanticipated increase in waste burning in Beirut. Difference-in-differences estimates indicate exposure increased premature births by four percentage points (50%) and low birth weight by five percentage points (80%), with even larger effects for those with more exposure. This suggests waste burning has significant implications for human health worldwide.