US coal plant closure emphasises health benefits of cleaner air

Decrease in hospital visits for heart problems shows impact could be greater than previously thoughtA study suggests the benefits from cleaner air could be even greater than previous data had indicated.Researchers investigated the closure of a coal processing plant in 2016. Located on Neville Island in the Ohio River, near Pittsburgh in the US, the site had been used to produce coal-coke for steelmaking for about 100 years. Closure of the plant resulted in an immediate reduction in air pollution for the local communities. Sulphur dioxide decreased by 90%, arsenic by 66% and particle pollution also improved. Continue reading...