Domestic pollution havens: evidence from cancer deaths in border counties

Domestic pollution havens may grow at state and international borders where there are substantial differences in the intensity of labor and environmental regulations. A new panel data set on cancer death rates is used to test this hypothesis. Cancer death rates from cancers with an environmental component have increased more in low regulation states relative to high regulation states. Relative to interior counties in the same low regulation states, counties that border high regulation states have experienced increased death rates from cancers with an environmental component. Relative to interior counties in the same states, cancer rates are falling at the Mexican border and rising at the Canadian border. (C) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.