<
https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/07/coal-pollution-is-killing-people-even-when-were-not-burning-it/>
'Although US coal consumption has fallen dramatically since 2005, the country
still consumes millions of tons a year, and exports tons more—much of it
transported by train. Now, new research shows that these trains can affect the
health of people living near where they pass.
The study found that residents living near railroad tracks likely have higher
premature mortality rates due to air pollutants released during the passage of
uncovered coal trains. The analysis of the San Francisco Bay Area cities of
Oakland, Richmond, and Berkeley shows that increases in air pollutants such as
small particulate matter (PM 2.5) are also associated with increases in
asthma-related episodes and hospital admissions.
"This has never been studied in the world. There's been a couple studies trying
to measure just the air pollution, usually in rural areas, but this was the
first to both measure air pollution and trains in an urban setting," said Bart
Ostro, author of the study and an epidemiologist at the University of
California, Davis.'
Via Christoph S, who wrote "Another reason to get rid of fossil fuels".
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
