Smoke billows from a coal fired power plant. Does this pose a danger to your health? The evidence is yes. A terawatt of power generated by burning coal is estimated to produce 24.5 deaths, 225 serious illnesses and 13,288 minor illnesses. In 2013 coal produced 1,581 terawatts of energy in the United States. Health effects include cancers, heart disease and lung diseases. Although both coal and natural gas produce carbon dioxide which contributes to global warming, health effects from natural gas are about 10 times less. Burning coal produces many different pollutants that can damage health including particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen and heavy metals such as mercury.

Particulate matter can damage lungs, trigger asthma attacks and worsen chronic obstructive lung disease. Sulfur dioxide also increases the number of people having problems with lung disease. It especially affects children with asthma and adults over 65 years. Exposure to sulfur dioxide additionally increases the risk of dying from heart disease. Oxides of nitrogen from coal power plants produce smog and ozone. In addition to causing asthma, this increases susceptibility to infections. All of these pollutants lead to increased emergency department visits and hospitalizations. Long-term exposure to particulate matter can also cause lung cancer.

Burning coal releases mercury vapor. Some of this mercury lands in the water and is then passed to fish. Mercury contaminated fish can cause developmental effects in infants when ingesting during pregnancy. In the United States over 300,000 newborns each year are born at risk.

With all of the evidence about harmful effects, why do we not do more? One reason is that being close to a coal power plant usually produces no immediate effect. This means the harmful effects can only be determined by scientific studies. Another reason is the people affected are usually seen in the emergency room or hospital individually. If 12 people suddenly developed asthma, many would want to look for a cause. If one person a month develops asthma, a cause is much less likely to be sought.

Lastly, most folks want low cost power. Power generation companies do not want to spend money on pollution control because it would increase their costs. However, if the health care costs of coal pollution were included in your electricity bill, the cost would triple. The Environmental protection agency estimates that every dollar spent on coal power pollution control saves society twenty five dollars.

Coal fired power plants are a health risk. They damage health and are very expensive for everyone when all the costs are considered.

Key References

1. Buchanan S, Burt E, Orris P: Beyond black lung: Scientific evidence of health effects from coal use in electricity generation. 2014.   J Pub Health Policy 35(3):266-277
2. Markandya A, Wilkinson P : Electricity generation and health. Lancet. 2007 Sep 15;370(9591):979-90.
3. Mahaffey, K.R., Clickner, R.P. and Bodurow, C.C. (2004) Blood organic mercury and dietary mercury intake: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999 and 2000. Environmental Health Perspectives 112(5): 562–570
4. Epstein, P.R. et al (2011) Full cost accounting for the life cycle of coal. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1219(1): 73–98
5. US Environmental Protection Agency. (2011) The Benefits and Costs of the Clean Air Act: 1990-2020; Final Report – Rev. A. Washington DC: EPA Office of Air and Radiation, http:// www.epa.gov/oar/sect812/prospective2.html, accessed 9 May 2013