"New study says coal dust unhealthy." That's one of our headlines today, and some readers might think that it goes without saying that coal dust is unhealthy. Coal dust is not something you want to inhale.
In fact, coal miners were the unfortunate human environmental guinea pigs in this area. After decades of trying to downplay the detrimental health impacts of coal dust by saying it was actually silica dust, the mining unions and companies finally acknowledged that coal dust kills - although it took until 1969 for something to be done about it.
Now black lung disease, or coal miners' lungs, is part of the legacy of our industrial energy system.
So, it should come as no surprise that a new study out of Washington State University suggests that dust coming off of coal trains could have a major impact on the health of residents living near coal transport facilities. The study found that air pollution levels of small particles of airborne pollution from train engines' diesel exhaust and "larger particles believed to be coal dust" hit levels normally found in heavy industrial areas.
So it strikes us as strange that Port Metro Vancouver wants more data on the health impacts that a proposed coal facility would have in Surrey.
Coal dust is not good to breathe in. How much more science do you need to determine that simple fact? It's a bit like asking for a new study on tobacco smoking. Heck, the Fraser Health Authority wants tighter regulations on second-hand smoke in public areas - we think more coal dust would be right up there with smoke as a forbidden pollutant.
Port Metro expects the additional material will take "a few months" to assemble and submit. We suggest they read our story, pick up a copy of the study and call the whole project off.
That should take about a week at the most and cost a whole lot less money.
