A conceptual framework linking health related costs of PFAS pollution to the polluter pays principle

Abstract

Exposure to per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances is associated with adverse health outcomes and may generate substantial healthcare and societal costs. This concept study presents an interdisciplinary framework that links epidemiological evidence, health economic modeling, and legal analysis to estimate the health-related costs of PFAS pollution and explore compensation under the polluter pays principle. The framework combines systematic evidence synthesis, pooled effect estimates, and population attributable fractions to quantify the disease burden attributable to PFAS exposure. These estimates are integrated into cost-of-illness analyses to assess preventive and curative healthcare costs, productivity losses, and wider societal impacts. Legal analysis, including hypothetical cases and existing compensation fund mechanisms, is used to examine how quantified health-related costs can inform liability and compensation approaches. By connecting scientific evidence, economic valuation, and legal reasoning, the framework supports evidence-informed policymaking and adaptable compensation mechanisms as knowledge on PFASrelated health effects develops.