The health costs due to illness and premature deaths in the coal mining regions of Appalachia far outweigh the economic benefits to the area from the coal industry, says a new study in the journal Public Health Reports.
“Throughout Appalachia, people in counties with no coal mining operations experience better health, a cleaner environment and greater economic prosperity than counties where mining takes place.” – Michael Hendryx, Ph.D. WVU Institute for Health Policy Research
The paper, Mortality in Appalachian Coal Mining Regions: The Value of Statistical Life Lost, found that while the coal mining industry had an $8 billion economic impact on the region, the costs (in terms of health and shortened life span) ranged from $16 billion to $84 billion in 2005.
According to the authors, Appalachian coal mining areas have almost 11,000 more deaths every year when compared with areas elsewhere in the U.S., and about 2,300 of those deaths were related to environmental factors such as air and water pollution worsened by coal mining.
“Those who are falling ill and dying young are not just the coal miners. Everyone who lives near the mines or processing plants or transportation centers is affected by chronic socioeconomic weakness that takes a toll in longevity and health.” – Hendryx
For the study, the researchers analyzed over 25 years of heath and economic data in the Appalachian region and compared the results to the federal government’s Value of Statistical Life (VSL). Their conclusion: coal costs more to those in the region than it benefits them.
“We know that in West Virginia we have high rates of poverty and illness, and we’ve been led to believe by government and industry that the coal companies help by creating jobs. But that’s not true. Premature mortality is strongly linked to socioeconomic conditions where people live, and the evidence is that those areas of West Virginia that do not have coal do better. They develop economic alternatives.” – Hendryx
Related posts:
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Interesting report. I guess as long as there’s money to be made by corporations and power companies, the human and environmental cost remains low to non existent in their eyes.
Coal is something that works on a small scale, but has severe problems as soon as you try to scale it to any appreciable size. It’s time we make solar work for us!