Environmental Issues: Health
Health Main Page
All Documents in Health Tagged coal-fired power plants
- Mercury Pollution: An End in Sight?
Work continues on a global treaty to solve the world's mercury pollution problem.
Overview - It will take an international solution to curb the world's mercury pollution problem -- and the United States should lead the way.
- Scenes from a Dirty Coal Disaster
A coal ash spill in Tennessee shows the dangers of toxic sludge produced by coal-fired power plants
Photo Album - Images from a coal ash spill in Tennessee show the dangers of toxic sludge produced by coal-fired power plants.
- Coal Is Hazardous to Your Health
Coal-fired power plants threaten the environment and your health.
Index - Burning coal releases enormous amounts of harmful pollutants into the air and water, with serious health consequences. Waste generated by coal-fired power plants contains hazardous pollutants that can contaminate our drinking water and cause cancer, birth defects and reproductive problems. This index of fact sheets describes the health hazards of our continued reliance on coal.
Documents Tagged coal-fired power plants in All Sections
- Benchmarking Air Emissions of the 100 Largest Electric Power Producers in the U.S., 2013
Report - The Benchmarking project uses public data to compare the emissions performance of the 100 largest power producers in the United States, and discusses market trends affecting the electric generating sector, including trends in fuel prices, technology developments, and environmental regulations.
- Poisoning the Great Lakes
Mercury Emissions from Coal-Fired Power Plants In the Great Lakes Region
Report - Mercury emitted into the air from coal-fired power plants is by far the leading man-made source of mercury in the Great Lakes and the rivers and streams of the region. The report analyzed pollution data to determine the top 25 mercury emitting power plants in the Great Lakes states, and the top three in each state.
- Contaminated Coal Waste
Power plants produce about 130 million tons of contaminated waste every year, and the federal government has failed to regulate it
Overview - Across the nation, coal-fired power plants aren't just polluting our skies and water. Each year, they generate millions of tons of waste contaminated with toxic metals -- more than two-thirds of which is dumped into landfills, storage ponds or old mines or otherwise stored somewhere, just waiting for disaster to strike.
- Coal is Dirty and Dangerous
Efficiency and renewables are better options for repowering America with clean energy
Overview - Coal is America’s No. 1 global warming polluter, despite the industry hype. Clean energy alternatives are better choices for our health, welfare and the U.S. economy.
For additional policy documents, see the NRDC Document Bank.
For older publications available only in print, click here.
Sign up for NRDC's online newsletter
NRDC Gets Top Ratings from the Charity Watchdogs
- Charity Navigator awards NRDC its 4-star top rating.
- Worth magazine named NRDC one of America's 100 best charities.
- NRDC meets the highest standards of the Wise Giving Alliance of the Better Business Bureau.
Switchboard Blogs
- President Obama's Giant Step to Give Our Kids a Healthier, Low-Carbon Future
- posted by Kim Knowlton, 7/1/13
- Bipartisan Senate leadership on antibiotic use in livestock
- posted by Avinash Kar, 6/27/13
- Can Your Beach Vacation Make You Sick?
- posted by Peter Lehner, 6/26/13
Related Stories
- Simple Steps
- A healthier you. A healthier home. A healthier Earth -- one step at a time.
- Is Organic Food Worth It?
- The short answer is yes -- get the lowdown from This Green Life.
- Pet Products May Harm Both Pets and Humans
- Poisons in many pet pesticide products are not safe for pets or humans.
