'They're Crooks': Coal Industry Aims to Exploit Coronavirus Crisis to Cut Payments to Miners With Black Lung
11 April 2020
Popular
A truck is loaded with coal at a mine on Aug. 26, 2019 near Cumberland, Kentucky. Scott Olson / Getty Images
By Jake Johnson
Some of the largest coal companies in the United States are using the coronavirus crisis to pressure Congress to slash the tax that finances the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund, a lifeline for more than 20,000 miners whose lung disease makes them more vulnerable to COVID-19.
<p>The Washington Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/04/08/coal-black-lung-coronavirus/" target="_blank">reported</a> this week that the National Mining Association (NMA), a trade group that represents the biggest U.S. coal operators still standing, "asked Congress last month for a 55 percent cut in the excise tax for the trust fund, and a suspension of another fee that pays to clean up abandoned mines. Altogether the operators say they could save about $220 million."</p>
<p>"While the level of taxation to back the fund has fluctuated sharply over the past two years," the Post noted, "it currently stands at $1.10 for every ton of coal mined underground and 55 cents for surface coal."</p><p>Harold Sturgill, a 60-year-old retired miner who was diagnosed with black lung in 1998, said in an interview with the Post that coal companies are "going to try to use this virus thing to stop paying benefits."</p><p>"They're crooks," Sturgill said.</p>
<div id="846f9" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3c7c836fbd67a15375d3fbea73aab75d"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1248301929551331331" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">“The burden should be on the coal operators,” Bounds said. “They come in our state, they mine our coal, they fill t… https://t.co/T0HWWa2mb7</div> — Sierra Club (@Sierra Club)<a href="https://twitter.com/SierraClub/statuses/1248301929551331331">1586453346.0</a></blockquote></div><p>The NMA explicitly pointed to the coronavirus crisis in its tax cut <a href="https://www.eenews.net/assets/2020/03/20/document_ew_02.pdf" target="_blank">request to Congress</a> — which was not included in the stimulus package that Congress passed last month — and labeled the coal industry "essential" to energy production in the United States. A group of Republican senators is <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-08/republican-senators-want-to-help-coal-get-u-s-bailout-money" target="_blank">currently pressuring the Federal Reserve</a> to allow coal companies to benefit from the multi-trillion-dollar CARES Act.</p><p>"As the country faces this unique and mounting challenge around the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. coal miners continue to work to provide the resources necessary to power America while bracing for the severe financial distress facing all sectors across the nation," NMA wrote to congressional leaders. "To minimize the impact of this crisis on the coal industry, Congress should ensure all businesses have the financial resources necessary to ride out the pandemic."</p><p>The group, according to the Post, intends to keep pushing for the tax cut in future stimulus legislation.</p>
<p>As EcoWatch <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/coal-miners-black-lung-coronavirus-2645657102.html" target="_self" style="">reported</a> earlier this week, "in some states like West Virginia, coal mines have been classified as essential services and are staying open during the COVID-19 pandemic, even though the close quarters miners work in and the known risks to respiratory health put miners in harm's way during the spread of the coronavirus."</p><p>"Nobody knows what this virus is going to do when it gets to this area," Jimmy Moore, a 74-year-old black lung patient in Shelby Gap, Kentucky, <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/coronavirus-coal-miners-black-lung_n_5e862723c5b6a949183323d7" target="_blank">told</a> HuffPost. "It's probably just going to wipe us out."</p><p>Miners and advocates have long warned about the financial health of the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund, which is deeply in debt, and <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/07/24/he-mightve-stayed-minute-coal-miners-black-lung-slam-mcconnell-brushing-them" target="_blank">repeatedly asked lawmakers</a> to act to ensure that the program is sustainable over the long term. Last July, as Common Dreams <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/07/24/he-mightve-stayed-minute-coal-miners-black-lung-slam-mcconnell-brushing-them" target="_blank">reported</a>, a group of around 120 retired miners traveled to Washington, D.C. to demand congressional action to secure the fund's finances, only to be brushed aside by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican.</p><p>Lynda Glagola, chairwoman of the National Coalition of Black Lung and Respiratory Disease Clinics, told the Post that if Congress grants the coal industry its desired tax cut, "the fund will spiral deeper and deeper into debt causing it to become a red financial flag."</p><p>"Especially at this time, as the economy is collapsing right before our eyes," Glagola warned, "lawmakers will soon be looking for programs to cut to save money and reduce the national debt and deficit."</p><p>In response to NMA's request, Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) — chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee — and Rep. Matthew Cartwright (D-Pa.) wrote a <a href="https://naturalresources.house.gov/imo/media/doc/Grijalva%20Cartwright%20Letter%20to%20Congressional%20Leaders%20on%20National%20Mining%20Association%20COVID%20Proposals%20March%2020%202020.pdf" target="_blank">letter</a> to congressional leaders last month urging them to reject the coal industry's "wish-list" and "focus federal resources on the workers, families, and communities that are being hardest hit by this crisis."</p><p>"The coal industry is taking advantage of the country's current circumstances to advocate for policies that are completely unrelated to the current crisis, policies that would in fact set back efforts to improve the health and lives of people across the country," the lawmakers wrote. "At a time when the country is facing a pandemic due to a respiratory illness, it is particularly egregious for the coal industry to advocate reducing the Black Lung Excise Tax."</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/04/11/theyre-crooks-coal-industry-aims-exploit-coronavirus-crisis-cut-payments-miners" target="_blank">Common Dreams</a>.</em><em></em></p>From Your Site Articles
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
EcoWatch Daily Newsletter
A retired West Virginia miner suffering from black lung visits a doctor for tests. Andrew Lichtenstein / Corbis via Getty Images
In some states like West Virginia, coal mines have been classified as essential services and are staying open during the COVID-19 pandemic, even though the close quarters miners work in and the known risks to respiratory health put miners in harm's way during the spread of the coronavirus.
<p>In Appalachia, miners with pneumoconiosis, or black lung disease, are at particularly high risk of coronavirus, according to <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/coronavirus-coal-miners-black-lung_n_5e862723c5b6a949183323d7" target="_blank">HuffPost</a>. Official <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/updates/upd-07-20-18.html" target="_blank">statistics</a> from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) put the number of underground coal miners with black lung disease at one in 10, though experts estimate the number could be 20 percent or higher.</p><p>When someone has black lung disease, scarring in the respiratory tract makes breathing labored. The notion of adding exposure to a severe respiratory illness like COVID-19 has some workers terrified, according to <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/coronavirus-coal-miners-black-lung_n_5e862723c5b6a949183323d7" target="_blank">HuffPost</a>. Furthermore, the communities where coal miners live tend to have higher than average comorbidities like obesity and diabetes.</p>
<p>Appalachians, for example are more likely than other Americans to have ailments such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes, due in part to smoking and a more sedentary lifestyle, according to the <a href="https://www.arc.gov/assets/research_reports/Health_Disparities_in_Appalachia_August_2017.pdf" target="_blank">Appalachian Regional Commission</a>, all of which could complicate the effects of COVID-19.</p><p>"Nobody knows what this virus is going to do when it gets to this area," said Jimmy Moore, a 74-year-old black lung patient in Shelby Gap, Kentucky, to <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/coronavirus-coal-miners-black-lung_n_5e862723c5b6a949183323d7" target="_blank">HuffPost</a>. "It's probably just going to wipe us out."</p>
<p>The age of many black lung sufferers also complicates exposure to the coronavirus, according to Anna Allen, a West Virginia doctor who cares for black lung patients, as <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-12/black-lung-coal-miners-facing-serious-threat-from-virus-spread" target="_blank">Bloomberg</a> reported.</p><p>In Australia, which has a robust coal mining industry and a significant portion of GDP derived from exporting coal to China and India, there have been drastic improvements since 2015 to improve working conditions for miners. However, miners with long-term exposure have most likely already had their lungs damaged but may not know it yet.</p>
<p>"The disease usually takes a minimum of five years to 10 years in very heavy exposure to develop, and a bit longer if the exposures are not so heavy," said Dr. Robert Cohen, the medical director of the Black Lung Center of Excellence at the University of Illinois, to the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-02/black-lung-sufferers-bunker-down-to-avoid-coronavirus/12092680" target="_blank">Australian Broadcasting Corporation</a>. "So we're not likely going to see that for a little bit of time yet in terms of the effect of new dust controls. While we are getting a number of new cases, I think that in some ways we are gathering up these cases that were probably undiagnosed and hadn't been paid attention to before."</p><p>Cohen said that people with black lung disease exposed to coronavirus would face severe complications.</p><p>"Coronavirus is definitely worse in people who have underlying lung disease," he said to the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-02/black-lung-sufferers-bunker-down-to-avoid-coronavirus/12092680" target="_blank">Australian Broadcasting Corporation</a>.</p><p>"We actually closed all our black lung clinics and we're asking miners not to come in for exams at the moment. We don't think it's worth the risk {of} them being in hospitals and clinics where sick people are at this time."</p>
<p>"We are seriously worried about our population out here," said Teresa Tyson, president and CEO of The Health Wagon, which operates free clinics in Wise, Virginia, and surrounding counties, to <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/coronavirus-coal-miners-black-lung_n_5e862723c5b6a949183323d7" target="_blank">HuffPost</a>. She added that her father is a former coal miner who has black lung. COVID-19 "would be a nail in the coffin," she said.</p><p>Tyson's clinic tried to make sure all her black lung patients had three months of medicine and frequently check in by phone or video. In nearby West Virginia, however, many rural black lung patients have neither the technology nor broadband service for telemedicine, according to Dan Doyle, who runs a breathing clinic in West Virginia, as <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/coronavirus-coal-miners-black-lung_n_5e862723c5b6a949183323d7" target="_blank">HuffPost</a> reported.</p><p>Despite pleas for social distancing, Doyle said he hasn't seen much change in mining operations in recent weeks. Mine workers are also still walking around town as usual, he said, possibly spreading the virus without knowing.</p><p>"It looks to me like they're going about their business," Doyle said to <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/coronavirus-coal-miners-black-lung_n_5e862723c5b6a949183323d7" target="_blank">HuffPost</a>. "Until their co-workers start falling ill, I don't think they're going to change. A lot of people here are not convinced they need to do anything."</p>
From Your Site Articles
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
Like many other plant-based foods and products, CBD oil is one dietary supplement where "organic" labels are very important to consumers. However, there are little to no regulations within the hemp industry when it comes to deeming a product as organic, which makes it increasingly difficult for shoppers to find the best CBD oil products available on the market.
<p>Here you can learn about the importance of organic hemp oil, why it's better for the environment, and which CBD companies actually make trustworthy products with sustainable farming processes. origins which weigh heavily on many consumers who want to buy a product that's produced in the best way possible for not only themselves to ingest, but for the environment as well through sustainable farming methods. </p><h2>What Is CBD Oil?</h2><p>First things first, CBD stands for cannabidiol, and it's a cannabinoid found within cannabis sativa plants. This plant compound is believed to have many potential benefits, and it is primarily derived from hemp plants via a CO2 extraction process. </p><p>Since CBD is extracted from industrial hemp, which contains only trace amounts of THC (the psychoactive component in cannabis plants), this means that CBD won't make you feel high like marijuana, which has much higher levels of THC that causes psychoactive effects. Instead, the effects of CBD are much more subtle and promote a general sense of calm and relaxation in most users.</p><h2>What Makes a CBD Oil Organic?</h2><p>In terms of organic labels, perhaps the most important (and prominent) certification comes from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This government organization has been labeling foods as "organic" for many years, but what exactly does this certification entail? Essentially, a label indicating that a product is "USDA Organic" or "Certified Organic" means that at least 95% of the ingredients are obtained from organic sources.</p><p>For a crop to be considered organic by the USDA, it must be grown without the use of industrial solvents, irradiation, genetic engineering (GMOs), synthetic pesticides, or chemical fertilizer. Instead, farmers rely on natural substances and <a href="https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2012/03/22/organic-101-what-usda-organic-label-means" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">mechanical, physical, or biologically based farming</a> techniques to cultivate healthy and organic crops.</p><p>Before the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, no hemp-derived products could be dubbed as "certified organic" since the hemp plant and its extracts were still categorized as a Schedule I Controlled Substance. However, it's still difficult for CBD companies to obtain a USDA certified organic label for their products due to the legal grey area that still surrounds CBD extracts. </p><p>Because of these challenges, and due to the fact that industrial hemp has only recently become an agricultural crop, very few CBD oils are USDA certified organic. Rather, many CBD products contain hemp extracts from plants that were grown in organic conditions but may not be federally certified.</p><h2>What are the Best Organic CBD Oil Brands?</h2><p><em>Each product featured here has been independently selected by the writer. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.</em></p><em><br></em>
<h2>Why Organic Hemp Oil Matters</h2><p>Hemp is a unique plant, not only for its rich cannabinoid content, but also for its ability to absorb a wide variety of components in soil. But this trait poses great risks when it comes to the creation of CBD products derived from hemp.</p><p>Because hemp has a high capacity for compound uptake, this means that the plants can retain <a href="https://www.remedyreview.com/industry/lab-test-results/" target="_blank">harmful chemicals like pesticides</a>, heavy metals, and other residual solvents. This is especially true when it comes to synthetic chemicals that are more toxic to humans, and difficult to remove once they have been absorbed by the hemp plant.</p><p>Organic farming practices help reduce the risk of hemp crops absorbing harsh chemicals that may later end up in CBD oil after extraction. When you're taking CBD as a wellness supplement to help alleviate your symptoms or improve your overall well-being, the last thing you want is to ingest compounds that might negatively outweigh the benefits of CBD. This is an important reason to look for third party lab test results when shopping for CBD products since these certificates of analysis can show the full cannabinoid and terpene profile of a hemp extract, as well as test results that search for the presence of any residual solvents.</p><p>In addition to creating a better end product, organic farming practices are also better for the environment. Sustainable and organic farming methods may <a href="https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-eating/organic-foods.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reduce pollution, conserve water, reduce soil erosion, increase soil fertility, and use less energy</a>. The use of natural pest deterrents as opposed to chemical pesticides is also better for nearby animal populations and ecosystems.</p><h3>Organic vs. Natural</h3><p>While there are only a select few companies offering certified organic ingredients in their products, almost every brand in the CBD market creates "natural" products. The term "all-natural" or "plant-based" does not mean that a product is organic, and since hemp oil is a natural derivative of hemp plants, these products are often referred to as all-natural. However, there are some synthetic CBD oils that should be avoided because they are chemically constructed and may produce unwanted side effects that are not caused by naturally derived CBD extracts.</p><h2>What are the Benefits of Organic CBD Oil?</h2><p>There's a long list of potential CBD oil health benefits, and some of the most common wellness advantages include:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2503660/" target="_blank">Chronic pain relief</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4604171/" target="_blank">Anti-anxiety effects</a></li><li>Better sleep</li><li><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/inner-source/201901/cbd-oil-mental-health-should-you-take-it-too" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Improvements in mood</a></li><li>Internal balance and regulation</li></ul><p>When dealing with pain, inflammation, sleep issues, and mental health struggles, it can be hard to find sufficient treatment options. The use of certain prescriptions can cause unwanted side effects, yet they are often the only solution for patients with these medical conditions. In search of other therapies, people have started to flock towards CBD oil as an alternative remedy for a variety of conditions. However, it should be noted that CBD products are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and you should seek your doctor's advice before using CBD if you have a serious medical condition.</p><h2>Look at the Labels Before You Buy CBD Oil</h2><p>When you go online to buy CBD oil, you'll quickly realize there is an overwhelming number of brands that are saturating the market. It can be difficult to determine which products are truly as good as they make themselves out to be. Always look for up-to-date third-party lab tests so you know you are getting a great product, and don't hesitate to contact the brand if you have any additional questions. And if you're intent on purchasing 100% organic CBD oil, it's best to look for certified products or brands that are held to strict regulatory standards.</p><p><strong>Melena Gurganus </strong>is the Reviews Editor at EcoWatch. She is passionate health and wellness and her writing aims to help others find products they can trust. Her work has been featured in publications such as Health, Shape, Huffington Post, Cannabis Business Times, and Bustle.<br></p>
Spruce
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjI3OC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyOTM2NzgzOX0.axY0HjeqRctJsR_KmDLctzDpUBLBN-oNIdqaXDb4caQ/img.jpg?width=980" id="774be" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8379f35b1ca8a86d0e61b7d4bfc8b46e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="spruce organic cbd oil" data-width="710" data-height="959" /><p>As one of the best brands in the business, Spruce CBD is well-known for its potent CBD oils that feature many additional beneficial phytocannabinoids. This brand works with two family-owned, sustainably focused farms in the USA (one located in Kentucky and one in North Carolina) to create its organic, small product batches. The max potency Spruce CBD oil contains 2400mg of full-spectrum CBD extract, but the brand also offers a lower strength tincture with 750mg of CBD in total.</p>
$89
CBDistillery
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDcwMjkzNC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMTU4OTM4Nn0.ypRdeDSBcE87slYrFfVrRwtJ2qGIK6FD5jBB4pndTMo/img.jpg?width=980" id="b473b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9930b53c9d58cb49774640a61c3e3e75" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="cbdistillery cbd oil" data-width="1244" data-height="1244" /><p>All of the products from CBDistillery are <a href="https://ushempauthority.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">U.S. Hemp Authority Certified</a>, and for good reason. The company only uses non-GMO and pesticide-free industrial hemp that's grown organically on Colorado farms. Its hemp oils are some of the most affordable CBD products on the market, yet they still maintain a high standard of quality. CBDistillery has a wide variety of CBD potencies across its product line (ranging from 500mg to 5000mg per bottle) and offers both full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD oils to give customers a completely thc-free option.</p>
$35
FAB CBD
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjIyNS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2NDIwOTEyMn0.MlTjz096FJ0ev_-soK7_Z-FeQeJczWoeh9Qi9SSkHsY/img.jpg?width=980" id="04b26" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="76aa4862f44603242e318982acea6646" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="fab cbd oil" data-width="800" data-height="800" /><p>For an organic CBD oil that has it all, FAB CBD offers plenty of variety for any type of consumer. All of its products are made with zero pesticides and extracted from organically grown Colorado industrial hemp. FAB CBD oil comes in five all-natural flavors (mint, vanilla, berry, citrus, and natural) and is also available in four strengths (300, 600, 1200, and 2400mg per bottle).</p>
$39
NuLeaf Naturals
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjIxOS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NzExNTgyMX0.D6qMGYllKTsVhEkQ-L_GzpDHVu60a-tJKcio7M1Ssmc/img.jpg?width=980" id="94e4a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3609a52479675730893a45a82a03c71d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="nuleaf naturals organic cbd oil" data-width="600" data-height="600" /><p>As an industry-leading brand, it comes as no surprise that NuLeaf Naturals sources its CBD extract from organic hemp plants grown on licensed farms in Colorado. The comany's CBD oils only contain two ingredients: USDA certified organic hemp seed oil and full spectrum hemp extract.</p><p>NuLeaf Naturals uses one proprietary CBD oil formula for all of its products, so you will get the same CBD potency in each tincture (60mg per mL), but can purchase different bottle sizes depending on how much you intend to use.</p>
$38.50
Charlotte's Web
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDcwMjk3NS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MzQ0NjM4N30.SaQ85SK10-MWjN3PwHo2RqpiUBdjhD0IRnHKTqKaU7Q/img.jpg?width=980" id="84700" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a2174067dcc0c4094be25b3472ce08c8" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="charlottes web cbd oil" data-width="1244" data-height="1244" /><p>Perhaps one of the most well-known brands in the CBD landscape, Charlotte's Web has been growing sustainable hemp plants for several years. The company is currently in the process of achieving official USDA Organic Certification, but it already practices organic and sustainable cultivation techniques to enhance the overall health of the soil and the hemp plants themselves, which creates some of the highest quality CBD extracts. Charlotte's Web offers CBD oils in a range of different concentration options, and some even come in a few flavor options such as chocolate mint, orange blossom, and lemon twist.</p>
$60
From Your Site Articles
- Best CBD Oils of 2020: Reviews & Buying Guide - EcoWatch ›
- Best CBD Oil for Pain Management - Top 10 CBD Oil Review 2020 ... ›
- Best CBD for Dogs 2020 - Organic CBD Oil for Pets - EcoWatch ›
- Full Spectrum CBD Oil: What To Know - EcoWatch ›
- Best CBD Waters: Plus All You Need to Know - EcoWatch ›
- The Best Water Soluble CBD Available Online - EcoWatch ›
- Best CBD for Sleep (Lab-Tested, Person-Tested Oils) - EcoWatch ›
- Strongest CBD Oils to Buy in 2021? - EcoWatch ›
- Best CBD Oils For Pain: Top 3 Brands of 2021 - EcoWatch ›
- 8 Science-Based Benefits of CBD Oil - EcoWatch ›
- Best CBD Vape Pen: Top Brands of 2020 - EcoWatch ›
- Because Price Matters: Most Affordable CBD Oils of 2021 - EcoWatch ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
In a study released this month by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), federal researchers identified more than 400 cases of complicated black lung in three clinics in southwestern Virginia between 2013 and 2017—the largest cluster ever reported.
However, the actual number of cases is likely much, much higher as the government analysis relied on self-reporting. An ongoing investigation from NPR has counted nearly 2,000 cases diagnosed since 2010 across Appalachia.
<p>
NPR investigative reporter Howard Berkes, who has been closely
<a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/07/01/535082619/npr-continues-to-find-hundreds-of-cases-of-advanced-black-lung" target="_blank">following the epidemic</a> explained to <a href="http://wesa.fm/post/surge-black-lung-disease-appalachia#stream/0" target="_blank">Pittsburgh's NPR news station</a>:
</p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">
"In the study that NIOSH just produced, they looked at three clinics in southwestern Virginia which serves coal miners from Virginia, Kentucky and West Virginia. And they identified and confirmed 416 cases of the disease in the previous few years. The study ended about a year ago. That's an astonishing number. NIOSH itself in its own accounting of that disease, found less than 100 cases in the same timeframe nationwide. And here in just three clinics in southwestern Virginia, there are four times as many cases. NPR has been surveying black lung clinics across Appalachia, and our count is up close to two thousand cases in the same timeframe that NIOSH had previously identified only 99. NIOSH itself now recognizes that this as the worst cluster of this disease ever documented. NIOSH has referred to it as one of the worst industrial workplace disasters in American history. It also marks what is a sharp increase in the disease from the 1990s, when researchers believed that it might actually become extinct."
</p><p style="">
Black lung disease, also known as
<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/coal">coal</a> workers' pneumoconiosis, comes from exposure to coal mine dust. Ever since the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969, which was passed in response to the deaths of 78 miners in West Virginia and implemented stricter safety standards, cases had been declining and virtually eradicated by the 1990s.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image" style="">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xNzMyNTA1NS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNjI0MDkwMX0.Os6rwEeYybsNetXDR8JBqazBQjtOcaWCoAzFQg2K1ys/img.jpg?width=980" id="6cb64" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="dbd546813cdffda7aab80278f276e632" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption...">Coal worker's pneumoconiosis. The black pigmentation and fibrosis are due to inhalation of carbon pigment and silica respectively in a coal worker. </small><small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="add photo credit...">Yale Rosen / Flickr</small></p><p style="">But the disease roared back in the 2000s and we are now seeing an uptick in progressive massive fibrosis, the most deadly form of black lung, which is
<a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/07/01/535082619/npr-continues-to-find-hundreds-of-cases-of-advanced-black-lung" target="_blank">blamed on</a> inhalation of both coal and silica dust from mines.<br></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="ce9c1" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="UJPSVH1576683846"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="966671597590515712" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">The upward trend in severe black lung disease has been clear for some time, but “what we’re really learning now is… https://t.co/SmXDtW82Zz</div> — Nadja Popovich (@Nadja Popovich)<a href="https://twitter.com/PopovichN/statuses/966671597590515712">1519307443.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p>
According to the
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/02/22/climate/black-lung-resurgence.html" target="_blank">New York Times</a>, "scientists <a href="http://oem.bmj.com/content/67/10/652" target="_blank">have linked</a> the new wave of lung disease to miners breathing in more silica dust, the likely result of a decades-long shift toward mining thinner coal seams that require cutting into the surrounding rock. Silica dust from pulverized rock can damage lungs faster than coal dust alone."
</p><p style="">
"Modern machinery, insufficient training for workers, and longer work hours may also contribute to increased dust exposure, experts say," the Times added.
</p><p style="">
All this comes as
<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/trump-watch">President Trump</a> cuts regulations, pushes for "<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/trump-coal-speech-2530195103.html">beautiful clean coal</a>" and promises to send miners back to work.
</p><p style="">
"There's an unacceptably large number of younger miners who have end-stage disease and the only choice is to get a lung transplant or wait it out and die," epidemiologist David J. Blackley told the Times.
</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="68c62" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="WT2J5Q1576683847"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="958713649350111232" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Despite Trump's Remark, There Is No War On Coal and It's Definitely Not Clean https://t.co/AjOS5Vt3wB @BeyondCoal… https://t.co/eChs9ofkmR</div> — EcoWatch (@EcoWatch)<a href="https://twitter.com/EcoWatch/statuses/958713649350111232">1517410120.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p>
From Your Site Articles
- Air Pollution From Industrial Shutdowns and Startups a Grave ... ›
- 3M to Pay Minnesota $850M in Surprise Settlement Over Chemical ... ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less