The Toll of. Coal. Health Impacts of Coal Export in the Northwest. Steven G. Gilbert, PhD, DABT

Transcription

1 The Toll of Coal Health Impacts of Coal Export in the Northwest Steven G. Gilbert, PhD, DABT

2 Bureau of Land Management The United States is the Saudi Arabia of coal.

3 Coal Life Cycle Mountaintop Removal Deforestation Water contamination Cancer clusters Transportation 70% of all US rail traffic Combustion NOxs and SOxs O 3 and brown haze Particulates Ash Waste Arsenic and lead Storage ponds Cancer clusters

4 Why Is This An Issue? Significant amounts of airborne pollutants Toxic chemicals often used to control dust Increased potential for train derailment Increased delay of EMR response Increased train and ship traffic Delays at RR crossings Increased risk of vehicle and pedestrian injuries Increased noise pollution

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6 Coal s Assault on Human Health Coal pollutants affect all major body organ systems and contribute to 4 of the 5 leading causes of mortality in the US: heart disease, cancer, stroke, and chronic lower respiratory diseases. Physicians for Social Responsibility (2009)

7 Heavy Metals Lead Absorption: intestine (50% kids, 10% adults) Toxicity: developmental and nervous system Mercury Absorption: inhalation, intestine poor Toxicity: nervous system toxicant Beryllium Absorption: lung, skin Toxicity: lung delayed and is progressive, contact dermatitis probable carcinogen Arsenic Absorption: oral, food, drinking water Toxicity: cancer, heart, liver, neurological

8 The Mercury Cycle

9 Primary Organ Systems Impacted Respiratory Cardiovascular Neurological

10 Respiratory Health & Oxidative Stress Asthma exacerbations Asthma development Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Stunted lung development Infant mortality Lung cancer

11 Cardiovascular Effects Coronary heart disease (CHD) Cardiac arrhythmias Acute myocardial infarction (heart attack) Congestive heart failure Cities with high nitrous oxide concentrations had death rates 4x higher than those with low concentrations.

12 Nervous System Effects Ischemic stroke Cerebral vascular disease Loss of intellectual capacity

13 Who Is Most Vulnerable? Children Elderly Those with pre-existing lung conditions Those with heart disease Diabetics Women over 50 Workers exposed to diesel exhaust

14 Protecting Children Children are not little adults. They eat more, breath more, drink more per body weight than adults do, and the impact of health-related exposures is greater on them than on adults. Dr. Steven Gilbert Director of the Institute of Neurotoxicology and Neurological Disorders

15 Transportation and Noise Cardiovascular disease Increase blood pressure, arrhythmia, stroke, ischemic heart disease Cognitive impairment in children Sleep disturbance Exacerbation of mental health disorders: depression, stress, anxiety, etc.

16 Overturned railcars spilled an estimated 6 million pounds of coal.

17 Diesel Particulate Matter (PM) Most acute threat of coal industry to human health Coal dust associated with: Early death (can shorten life 1 3 years) Increase risk of death from cardiovascular disease Increase risk of dying from lung cancer Increase incidence of hospitalization for asthma in children Slowed growth of lung function in children Increase mortality in infants and young children

18 Diesel emissions remain the largest contributor to potential cancer risk in the Puget Sound area. A 2010 Study by the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency & The University of Washington

19 PM Contributions 1,500 nonfatal heart attacks 450 incidents of different heart diseases (not MI) 1,900 incidents of acute bronchitis 100 cases of chronic lung disease 250 incidents of pneumonia 400 emergency room visits for asthma Thousands of incidents of worsened asthma Washington State Dept. of Ecology

20 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions 20% of global GHG emissions. One 500-MW coal-fired power plant produces about 3 million tons/year of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). U.S. produces almost 2 billion tons of CO 2 per year from coal-burning power plants. GHG emissions from coal-fired electricity is 27% of total U.S. emissions; projected to grow by a third by 2025.

21 Poll Question Do you live near a train track? Yes No

22 Polling Question Do you consider coal transportation an environmental justice issue? Yes No Maybe

23 Environmental Justice and Coal Putting profits before people Environmental issues are not isolated instances. They are a broad national concern with civil rights implications. Historically, people of color have disproportionately experienced negative outcomes associated with their physical environment.

24 How you can be involved

25 What Are Health Care Providers Doing? Advocating: testifying, letters to the editor, etc. Educating: patients, communities, legislators Passing legislation Exploring Health Impact Assessments (HIA) Whatcom Docs (Bellingham, WA) Physicians for Social Responsibility- WPSR, OPSR, Ntl PSR

26 Protective Legislation & Advocacy National Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS Rule): sets standards for existing all hazardous air pollutants emitted by coal- and oil-fired electric generating State TransAlta closing in 2025 Sierra Club Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility Local City of Seattle Ballard

27 Polling Question Which authorities are making decisions about this in your community? Type your answer in the Chat box.

28 Protect Your Health Help prevent coal transport Letters to the Editor Contact City Council members Share this information with others Local events: TTLE.aspx Online Resources Sierra Club: Physicians for Social Responsibility Coal Train Facts: Power Past Coal:

29 Resources A Small Dose of Toxicology 2 nd Edition (Free e-book Healthy World Press) Coal Ash: The Toxic Threat to Our Health and Environment (PSR and Earthjustice)

30 Resources, cont. The Silent Epidemic: Coal and the Hidden Threat to Health MIT Press, September 2012 Alan H. Lockwood, MD Coal Blooded: Putting Profits Before People by - NAACP, Little Village Environmental Justice Organization, Indigenous Environmental Network