Hi USETox team,
I'm trying to convert the EF3.1 characterisation factors into a monetary value.
In the latest version of the USETox Excel file, I find the conversion factors 11.5 DALY/cancer case & 2.4 DALY/non-cancer case.
Are these conversion factors ok to use for the EF3.1 version of USETox?
To give an example:
emission to air, unspecified benzene = 1.55E-7 CTUh -> x 2.4 DALY/CTUh, non-cancer = 3.7E-7 DALY -> x monetary value DALY (e.g. 100.000 euro/DALY) = 3.7E-2 euro/kg benzene
Many thanks in advance!
Kind regards,
Tjok
The human toxicity severity factors in USEtox versions 1 and 2 translate a cumulative human population lifetime risk (expressed in statistical 'cases' of cancer and non-cancer) into disability-adjusted life years (DALY) at population level. The values of 11.5 DALY/cancer case and 2.7 DALY/non-cancer case are based on statistically analyzing this association across respective diseases as detailed in Huijbregts et al. 2005 and are part of the formal verions 2 of USEtox to translate human toxicity midpoint characterization factors (case/kg emitted) into damage-level endpoint characterization factors (DALY/kg emitted).
USEtox does not prescribe how to use midpoint or endpoint results in other assessment, such as monetary valuation, but USEtox results (DALY/kg emitted) have been translated into monetary terms in different studies to derive results in the form of e.g. Euro/kg emitted (see e.g. Fantke et al. 2012, Mankong et al. 2022), demonstrating that this is a possible way to use USEtox results. When combining USEtox results with monetary values, the latter should be transparently documented and referenced.