Don't Worry, The Dangerous Health Effects From Coal Can Come To You

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Coal — the rock, not the roll — is one of the dirtier fuel sources out there, with both mining and burning it often leading to serious medical complications for those involved. Now, though, research suggests yet another way coal hurts people: Just transporting it.

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A new study, reported by Ars Technica, showed higher rates of early death among people who live near train tracks on which coal is transported. Uncovered trains allow shifting, grinding coal rocks to release pollutants into the air, which can have serious effects on people exposed to them. From Ars Technica:

Trains carry nearly 70 percent of coal shipments in the United States, leaving a trail of pollution in their wake. And coal exports will have a similar impact during transit. [Study author Bart] Ostro explained that when uncovered coal trains travel, the coal particles disperse around the railroad tracks. Levels of PM 2.5 “[spread] almost a mile away,” he added.

As a result, the mere passage of coal trains could affect the health of surrounding communities. Ostro was particularly concerned about how these pollutants could harm vulnerable populations living near the coal export terminal in Richmond. Previous census data had already shown that those in Richmond who live around the rail line have mortality rates 10 to 50 percent higher than the county average. Communities in Oakland could be at risk, too, since discussions are underway to build a new coal export terminal in the region.

The core issue here is the level of small particulates, with “PM 2.5″ referring to particulates less than 2.5 microns in size. Those particulates are even small enough to slip between the fibers of N95 masks, making filtering out coal dust far more complicated than simply masking up when folks go outside. For a real solution, the problem needs to be addressed at its source.

Politicians have worked to lessen our reliance on coal, though efforts like requiring carbon capture tech on coal-based power plants don’t address the dangers of mining or transporting the fuel. The effort even appears to be bipartisan, as coal enthusiasts have lambasted both the Trump and Biden White Houses for their failure to ensure continued profits for coal investors sufficiently promote a dirty, dated energy source. Everyone’s got their thing, I guess.