At the end of July, the first ever study of the cost of preventable environmental disease for children in Michigan was released by the Michigan Network for Children’s Environmental Health which showed that Michigan could save billions per year by protecting children.

It was estimated that the environmentally attributable costs for the following preventable childhood diseases - asthma, lead poising, pediatric cancer and neuro-developmental disorders in Michigan is $5.85 billion per year with a range from $3.65 - $6.68 billion.

After reading this study, it seems to me that if Michigan removes exposures to environmental toxic exposure in our community, we will not only improve the health of our children but for a state that is in fiscal crisis, we will also help the economic health of our state.