Coals assault on human health a report from physicians for social responsibility by alan h. Coal combustion in particular contributes to diseases. Besides mercurypoisoning, people living around mines are polluted by lead, zinc and copper. These sox air pollutants, upon inhaling, destabilize normal heart beats rhythms and cause heart attacks peters et al. Feb 09, 2010 from mining to transportation, washing, combustion, and postcombustion waste disposal, coal is an assault on human health, as the physicians for social responsibility put it in a. The economy, electricity, political power, and health in 2007, the u. Estimating the health impacts of coalfired power plants.
The environmental protection agency epa issued a proposed rule in july of 2010 to regulate coal ash, the toxic waste left behind after coal is burned for energy. Set up an oversight committee comprising of government o. This report looks at the cumulative harm inflicted by those pollutants on three major body organ systems. S heart disease, cancer, stroke, and chronic lower respiratory diseases. Coals serious adverse health impacts are broadly accepted by scientific and medical communities and include. The human health effects of rail transport of coal through. Coal mine dust exposures and associated health outcomes. Pdf human health and environmental impacts of coal combustion. The hidden costs and benefits of things we take for. Detrimental health effects are associated with every aspect of coals life cycle, including mining, hauling.
Human health is human health in total not those humans immediately adjacent to the mine. Concluding remarkscoal is the most abundant fossil energy resource in china and plays an important role in chinese energy production and in chinas energy supply. In addition, the authors present recent world health organization data on human health threats posed by global warming, a relevant topic for inclusion as coal fired power plants comprise. Submission to waikato district council on the resource. Coals assault on human health the collaborative on. Epas proposal gives two options for governance of coal. Coaltarbased pavement sealcoatpotential concerns for. Health effects, economic considerations, environmental impacts, and u.
Gentle heating of coal at a temperature slightly above the boiling point of water causes a loss of weight from the sample that is defined as moisture. Nov 22, 2009 an iowa perspective on coals assault on human health posted on november 22, 2009 by paul deaton when we consider the use of coal in iowa, there are many of us who remember the coal trucks plying the streets and alleys of our childhood, dropping loads of the black stuff down chutes leading to a basement coal bin and then to our gravity furnaces. The mercury used in mining causes a number of different health problems, including neurological disorders and kidney diseases. Coal will continue to play a major role in the global energy system for. Coals assault on human health physicians for social. Not only is coal burning responsible for twothirds of u. Coal combustion releases sulfur dioxide, particulate matter pm, nitrogen oxides. Onsite health clinics managed by occupational health nurses working in the coal mining industry are proposed as a means to improve health care outcomes. Submission of comments on waratah coals proposed galilee. Coal combustion releases sulfur dioxide, particulate matter pm, nitrogen oxides, mercury, and dozens of other substances known to be hazardous to human health, states the online. Coal miners are also exposed to crystalline silica dust, which causes silicosis, copd, and other diseases. Nov 18, 2009 the storage of postcombustion wastes from coal plants. An iowa perspective on coals assault on human health blog.
The ash is made up of chemicals and metals like lead, mercury and arsenic and is a risk to human health and the environment. The document warns about the diseases caused by coal every step of the way, from the time it is mined to the waste it produces when it is burned to generate electricity. Virginia asthma coalition vac, consortium infant and child. Most of what is known about the health impacts of coal dust on people is based on high levels of exposureusually occurring in coal mining or processing workplaces. In addition, the discharge of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere associated with burning coal is a major contributor to global warming and its adverse effects on health worldwide. How coal power plants make us sick which focussed on figures for europe as a whole. Coal pollutants affect all major body organ systems and contribute to four of the five leading causes of mortality in the u. Apr 28, 2010 he and other experts published their conclusions last november in the report coals assault on human health. Coal and the hidden threat to health was published last month by mit press.
The particulate from coal with aerodynamic diameter of 2. Presented by earthjustice harm to human health from breathing. Construction of the kusile power plant would impose severe negative health effects on the population of south africa. Pdf coalfired power plant airborne particles impact. Coal ash contains many toxic substances that may affect human health, if people are exposed to them above a certain concentration in the form of particulate matter. Physicians for social responsibility has released a groundbreaking medical report, coals assault on human health, which takes a new look at the devastating impacts of coal on the human body. Membership of the climate and health alliance includes a broad cross section of the health sector with 27 organisational members, representing hundreds of thousands of health care professionals from a range of disciplines, health care service providers, institutions, academics, researchers, and health consumers. Coal is more detrimental to the planet than solar energy. The public health consequences of extracting, processing, and burning coal. The unpaid health bill health and environment alliance.
The breakdown of health impacts and the associated cost figure underlines the urgent need for these costs to be taken into account in any costbenefit analysis on coal. Current estimates indicate that the stroke death rate for men is 33. Lockwood, md faan kristen welkerhood, scd msn rn molly rauch, mph barbara gottlieb. Children, older people and patients with an underlying condition are more. Air pollution and health policy in china 589 words. Nov 24, 2009 the title of a new report from physicians for social responsibility via the charleston gazettes ken ward doesnt pull any punches its called coals assault on human health.
Report details coals assault on human health common. Nov 25, 2009 coals assault on human health s executive summarys pdf opening paragraph. Ah, welkerhood, k, rauch, m, gottlieb, b 2009 coals assault on human. Coals assault on human health validated independent news. Both of the following pdf s are available at the coal development in alaska link above on acats website. Milena, tator adina, pasculesco dragos and jajal gheorghe. Estimating the health impacts of coal fired power plants receiving public international financing summary in addition to the environmental and human health harm caused by greenhouse gas emissions, coal fired power plants emit massive amounts of toxic air pollutants that result in significant numbers of deaths and disease. An iowa perspective on coals assault on human health. The environmental impacts of increased coal utilisation are mainly the result of the emission.
Department of health and human services, public health service, centers for disease control, national institute for occupational safety and health, division of standards development and technology transfer, technical information branch. The impact upon air of pollutants from rosia coal deposit. Exposure to coal mine dust causes various pulmonary diseases, including coal workers pneumoconiosis cwp and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease copd. Annals of the university of petrosani mining engineering. Coals assault on human health the collaborative on health. Coals assault on human health physicians for social responsibility. While noting that coal mining presents risks to miners and local communities, the report focuses mostly on the health effects of coal combustion. Little is known about people exposed to low levels. Jul 20, 2017 harm to human health from breathing and ingesting coal ash toxicants. Coal makes us sick doctors, nurses, and scientists around the world agree on one simple fact. Coaltarbased pavement sealcoatpotential concerns for human. Human health and environmental impacts of coal combustion and. Water is diverted from drinking, agricultural and ecological uses. Pdf due to its high energy generation potential, coal is widely used in power generation in different countries.
Sealcoat is the black, viscous liquid sprayed or painted on many asphalt parking lots, driveways, and playgrounds to protect and enhance the appearance of the underlying asphalt. Epa has conducted previous studies identifying human health and environmental damages caused by mining and mineral processing waste management activities. How coalburning countries are making their neighbours sick. Air pollution kills an estimated 3 million people globally each year, 1 with the burning of coal a key contributor. The report, coal s assault on human health, looks at the cumulative harm inflicted by those pollutants on the respiratory system, the cardiovascular system and the nervous system.
The moisture content of coals ranges from about 5% to almost 70%. This conclusion emerges from our reassessment of the widely. Methymercury exposure, us environmental protection. Burning coal affects the environment, human health and wildlife, and is a. Lockwood, kristen welkerhood, molly ranch, barbara gottlieb, coals assault on human health. Health effects of burning fossil fuels state impact center nyu law. In march 20, the health and environment alliance heal published the unpaid health bill. Like the oldest biomass, coal has had a defining role in human history. The book is an expansion of a 2009 paper by physicians for social responsibility, coals assault on human health, available for free on the psr website. Health disparities of coal miners and coal mining communities. Michael hendryx 2008 conducted a study on the human health impacts of coal mining.
Coal combustion releases mercury, particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and dozens of other substances known to be hazardous to human health. Coals assault on human health s executive summarys pdf opening paragraph. Coal fired power plants are water intensive sources of energy generation. Scientific evidence of health effects from coal use in energy. Coal s assault on human health, physicians for social responsibility report nov 2009. Nov 18, 2009 but, coal combustion releases mercury, particulate matter, nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide and dozens of other substances known to be hazardous to human health. Two times 8 hours airborne particulates personal outdoor sampling through 7hole and cyclone samplers has been conducted nearby manjung power plant and lumut power plant. Coal combustion releases mercury, particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and dozens of other substances known to be hazardous to.
Coal development in alaska, overview on acats website. Along with the agricultural revolution, these were arguably among the most important milestones of. This avoids consideration of cumulative pollution over wide areas. Mar 01, 2010 the 64page psr report, coals assault on human health, details the respiratory, cardiovascular, and nervous system effects of airborne coal pollution. For further information, there are two documents attached that outline the adverse health impacts of coal in more detail. Accounting for variables of age, income, education, poverty, smoking, and obesity, he found that residents of coal mining communities have a 70 percent increased risk for developing kidney disease. During coal combustion, no 2, another main pollutant with highly corrosive properties and strong oxidizing ability, is released and accumulates in the air and cumulatively damages the environment and health levy et al. Human health and environmental damages from mining and. Waste water dumped by these coal fired power plants is significant threat to our environment and human health. The environmental impacts from coal clean air task force. Coal mining drains and pollutes our water supplies, harms our health and destroys our natural landscape. Health impact assessment of coal and clean energy options in. Coal is more harmful to human health than solar energy. Four of these documents were used as the basis for preparing damage cases for this document.
Coals assault on human health 29 patients with hypertension and diabetes as well as improvements in smoking cessation efforts, stroke is still an important cause of death in the u. These are truths universally acknowledged by the worlds financial and scientific communities, but many states and countries still burn fossil fuels as a prefered method of energy production. Summary burning coal for energy comes at a significant cost to human health. So it is necessary to avoid situations in which employees working in coal fired power plants or public members living close to coal ash landfills will be exposed to high coal ash. Most coals, as they are dug from the ground, have some amount of moisture associated with them.
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