What are the adverse effects of coal exposure?

From the Guidelines

Coal usage is associated with significant harmful side effects on human health, including respiratory diseases, cardiovascular problems, and lung cancer, as well as environmental impacts such as land degradation, water pollution, and climate change. The burning of coal releases toxic pollutants into the atmosphere, contributing to these health problems, as reported in a study published in Environment International 1. Some of the key health effects of coal usage include:

• Respiratory diseases like asthma, bronchitis, and lung cancer
• Cardiovascular problems
• Land degradation and habitat destruction due to coal mining operations
• Water pollution through acid mine drainage
• Climate change due to the release of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas
• Groundwater contamination with toxic substances from coal ash disposal A more recent study published in Thorax in 2023 found that the use of biomass fuel for cooking and heating, which includes coal, is a significant risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) 1. The study also found that exposure to solid fuels for cooking is associated with premature deaths, and that cooking in poorly ventilated kitchens can increase the development of COPD by fourfold. Another study published in Current Environmental Health Reports in 2015 found that coal smoke exposure is associated with an increased risk of lung cancer and COPD 1. Overall, the evidence suggests that coal usage has significant negative impacts on both human health and the environment, and that reducing or eliminating coal usage could have numerous benefits for public health and the environment, as highlighted in a study published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology in 2020 1.

From the Research

Side Effects of Coal

• Coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) and other mining-related lung diseases are entirely preventable, yet continue to occur 2
• Mining exposures cause a broad spectrum of respiratory disease, including:
  • Chronic bronchitis
  • Emphysema
  • Pulmonary fibrosis
• Coal mine workers are at risk for a range of chronic respiratory diseases including:
  • Coal workers' pneumoconiosis
  • Diffuse dust-related fibrosis
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 3
• Exposure to coal dust can cause:
  • Rapidly progressive pneumoconiosis with progressive massive fibrosis (complicated coal workers' pneumoconiosis)
  • Silicosis and mixed-dust pneumoconiosis
  • Decline in lung function in individuals with pneumoconiosis
  • Increased risk of lung cancer in coal miners 3, 4
• Ineffective control of coal dust exposure can harm coal workers' health, and nano-sized coal dust may have contributed to the increase of CWP prevalence in recent years 4
• Coal miners are at risk for dust-related diffuse fibrosis and chronic airway diseases, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis 5
• The ongoing prevalence of occupational lung diseases among contemporary coal miners highlights the importance of respiratory surveillance and preventive efforts through effective dust control measures 6