Countering health harms from eroded US Environmental Protection Agency

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that its mission “is to protect human health and the environment.”1 Yet in January 2026, the agency announced it would no longer consider monetised healthcare savings and prevented deaths in regulations on air pollution, marking a sharp departure from that mission.23 This move is more than a technical adjustment to regulatory accounting. It represents a fundamental shift, with the EPA prioritising commercial interests over human health by reframing what counts as evidence.For decades, the EPA has justified the regulation of air pollution by weighing the costs of compliance against the benefits of reduced illness, disability, and premature death. The agency previously reported that an estimated $30 (£22; €26) in benefits (range $4–$88) has been returned to the US economy for every dollar invested in air pollution control.4In 2023, particulate matter (PM) air pollution was the second highest risk factor for death globally, causing…