Mortality risk from United States coal electricity generation

Journal article (2023)

Authors

Lucas R. F. Henneman Harvard University, George Mason University
Christine Choirat University of Geneva
I.C. Dedoussi Aircraft Noise and Climate Effects - Aerospace Engineering
Francesca Dominici Harvard University
Jessica Roberts Georgia Institute of Technology
Corwin M. Zigler The University of Texas at Austin, Harvard University
Research Group
Aircraft Noise and Climate Effects (Aerospace Engineering) (TU Delft)
Copyright: © 2023 Lucas R. F. Henneman, Christine Choirat, I.C. Dedoussi, Francesca Dominici, Jessica Roberts, Corwin M. Zigler
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adf4915
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Published Date

2023

Language

English

Faculty

Aerospace Engineering

Department

Control & Operations

Research Group

Aircraft Noise and Climate Effects

Abstract

Policy-makers seeking to limit the impact of coal electricity-generating units (EGUs, also known as power plants) on air quality and climate justify regulations by quantifying the health burden attributable to exposure from these sources. We defined “coal PM2.5” as fine particulate matter associated with coal EGU sulfur dioxide emissions and estimated annual exposure to coal PM2.5 from 480 EGUs in the US. We estimated the number of deaths attributable to coal PM2.5 from 1999 to 2020 using individual-level Medicare death records representing 650 million person-years. Exposure to coal PM2.5 was associated with 2.1 times greater mortality risk than exposure to PM2.5 from all sources. A total of 460,000 deaths were attributable to coal PM2.5, representing 25% of all PM2.5-related Medicare deaths before 2009 and 7% after 2012. Here, we quantify and visualize the contribution of individual EGUs to mortality.