"CLEAN COAL" ? AN OXYMORON FOR MORONS

 

"CLEAN COAL"? AN OXYMORON FOR MORONS

Health risks associated with Coal mining.

There are a great many risks to your health which can be linked to coal mining operations. Though there are obvious workplace hazards associated with working in a coal mine, these are not the only risks associated with mining activities. Simply living within proximity of a mine can actually cause a variety of health concerns, and both types of mining (deep and surface) pose their own set of problems.

Occupational Hazards of Miners.

Miners face a plethora of dangers working in what often amount to cramped, unsafe facilities. The threat of injury is almost constant, miners often being injured from falling objects, equipment, and roof collapse. Though the threat of physical injury is a real concern for many, this is not the only threat that miners face. Miners also run the risk of respiratory damage through the high levels of dust and other chemical particulates present in deep coal mining facilities. Some of the disorders caused by these particulates include COPD, coal worker's pneumoconiosis (CWP, also known as black lung), and progressive massive fibrosis (PMF). The threat of damage to hearing is also a constant concern as the equipment miners work around is quite loud.

Deep Coal Mining Community Health Risks.

The health outcomes associated with living in a deep coal mining community are various. Everything from increased rates of lung cancer, respiratory disease, and low birth weight can be linked to communities that are located near mining facilities. Some illness and disease rates (COPD and hypertension specifically) are directly correlated to the number of tons of coal that are extracted from mines. These health issues pose a significant risk to all people located within proximity of deep coal mining facilities.

Surface Mining Community Health Risks.

Communities located within proximity of mountaintop mining sites face a broad array of health concerns due to several factors. The use of explosives at these sites causes a great amount of dust which can affect the respiratory health of nearby communities. These explosives are also created from chemicals which have been linked to poisoning in local area residents. These explosions are also capable of fracturing underground water tables and lead to the contamination of drinking water by heavy metals, mine drainage, and methane gas. Explosions have caused flying debris that have crashed into homes causing structural damage and even loss of life. Also, several of the illnesses associated with deep coal mining are also present in communities located within proximity of surface mining sites.


http://www.kyenvironmentalfoundation.org/coal-mining-health-risks.html