Impacts of Coal Use on Health
- PMID:31913772
- DOI: 10.1146/annurev-publhealth-040119-094104
Impacts of Coal Use on Health
Abstract
This article reviews evidence for the public health impacts of coal across the extraction, processing, use, and waste disposal continuum. Surface coal mining and processing impose public health risks on residential communities through air and water pollution. Burning coal in power plants emits more nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, and heavy metals per unit of energy than any other fuel source and impairs global public health. Coal ash disposal exposes communities to heavy metals and particulate matter waste. Use of coal in domestic households causes public health harm concentrated in developing nations. Across the coal continuum, adverse impacts are disproportionately felt by persons of poor socioeconomic status, contributing to health inequities. Despite efforts to develop renewable energy sources, coal use has not declined on a global scale. Concentrated efforts to eliminate coal as an energy source are imperative to improve public health and avert serious climate change consequences.
Keywords: climate change; coal combustion; coal mining; health disparities.
Similar articles
- The mining and burning of coal: effects on health and the environment.Castleden WM, Shearman D, Crisp G, Finch P.Castleden WM, et al.Med J Aust. 2011 Sep 19;195(6):333-5. doi: 10.5694/mja11.10169.Med J Aust. 2011.PMID:21929497
- Air Pollution Emissions 2008-2018 from Australian Coal Mining: Implications for Public and Occupational Health.Hendryx M, Islam MS, Dong GH, Paul G.Hendryx M, et al.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Feb 29;17(5):1570. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17051570.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020.PMID:32121344Free PMC article.
- Air pollution threatens the health of children in China.Millman A, Tang D, Perera FP.Millman A, et al.Pediatrics. 2008 Sep;122(3):620-8. doi: 10.1542/peds.2007-3143.Pediatrics. 2008.PMID:18762533Review.
- Systematic review of community health impacts of mountaintop removal mining.Boyles AL, Blain RB, Rochester JR, Avanasi R, Goldhaber SB, McComb S, Holmgren SD, Masten SA, Thayer KA.Boyles AL, et al.Environ Int. 2017 Oct;107:163-172. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2017.07.002. Epub 2017 Jul 21.Environ Int. 2017.PMID:28738262Free PMC article.Review.
- Air quality and health benefits from potential coal power plant closures in Texas.Strasert B, Teh SC, Cohan DS.Strasert B, et al.J Air Waste Manag Assoc. 2019 Mar;69(3):333-350. doi: 10.1080/10962247.2018.1537984. Epub 2019 Jan 24.J Air Waste Manag Assoc. 2019.PMID:30339492
Cited by
- The 2021 report of the Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: code red for a healthy future.Romanello M, McGushin A, Di Napoli C, Drummond P, Hughes N, Jamart L, Kennard H, Lampard P, Solano Rodriguez B, Arnell N, Ayeb-Karlsson S, Belesova K, Cai W, Campbell-Lendrum D, Capstick S, Chambers J, Chu L, Ciampi L, Dalin C, Dasandi N, Dasgupta S, Davies M, Dominguez-Salas P, Dubrow R, Ebi KL, Eckelman M, Ekins P, Escobar LE, Georgeson L, Grace D, Graham H, Gunther SH, Hartinger S, He K, Heaviside C, Hess J, Hsu SC, Jankin S, Jimenez MP, Kelman I, Kiesewetter G, Kinney PL, Kjellstrom T, Kniveton D, Lee JKW, Lemke B, Liu Y, Liu Z, Lott M, Lowe R, Martinez-Urtaza J, Maslin M, McAllister L, McMichael C, Mi Z, Milner J, Minor K, Mohajeri N, Moradi-Lakeh M, Morrissey K, Munzert S, Murray KA, Neville T, Nilsson M, Obradovich N, Sewe MO, Oreszczyn T, Otto M, Owfi F, Pearman O, Pencheon D, Rabbaniha M, Robinson E, Rocklöv J, Salas RN, Semenza JC, Sherman J, Shi L, Springmann M, Tabatabaei M, Taylor J, Trinanes J, Shumake-Guillemot J, Vu B, Wagner F, Wilkinson P, Winning M, Yglesias M, Zhang S, Gong P, Montgomery H, Costello A, Hamilton I.Romanello M, et al.Lancet. 2021 Oct 30;398(10311):1619-1662. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(21)01787-6. Epub 2021 Oct 20.Lancet. 2021.PMID:34687662Free PMC article.Review.
- Private and External Costs and Benefits of Replacing High-Emitting Peaker Plants with Batteries.Porzio J, Wolfson D, Auffhammer M, Scown CD.Porzio J, et al.Environ Sci Technol. 2023 Mar 28;57(12):4992-5002. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.2c09319. Epub 2023 Mar 14.Environ Sci Technol. 2023.PMID:36917208Free PMC article.
- Guarding food safety with conventional and up-conversion near-infrared fluorescent sensors.Yang F, Yao J, Zheng F, Peng H, Jiang S, Yao C, Du H, Jiang B, Stanciu SG, Wu A.Yang F, et al.J Adv Res. 2022 Nov;41:129-144. doi: 10.1016/j.jare.2022.01.011. Epub 2022 Jan 30.J Adv Res. 2022.PMID:36328742Free PMC article.Review.
- Maternal proximity to mountain-top removal mining and birth defects in Appalachian Kentucky, 1997-2003.Cooper DB, Walker CJ, Christian WJ.Cooper DB, et al.PLoS One. 2022 Aug 11;17(8):e0272998. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0272998. eCollection 2022.PLoS One. 2022.PMID:35951600Free PMC article.
- Possible Sources of Trace Metals in Obese Females Living in Informal Settlements near Industrial Sites around Gauteng, South Africa.Lion GN, Olowoyo JO.Lion GN, et al.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Mar 14;20(6):5133. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20065133.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023.PMID:36982040Free PMC article.
Publication types
MeSH terms
Substances
Related information
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Medical
Research Materials
Miscellaneous