Mountaintop Removal Mining Linked To Birth Defects

[GoLeft TV]

From DeSmogBlog -

Researchers at Washington State University and West Virginia University have released a new report that links an increase in birth defects in Appalachia to the practice of mountaintop removal mining (MTR or MTM). The study shows that communities exposed to the wastes created by blowing up mountains to extract coal experience significantly higher instances of birth defects.

A press release on the new report summarized the findings as follows:

The study was based on analysis of over 1.8 million birth records between 1996 and 2003 in central Appalachia. Prevalence rates were higher in mountaintop mining areas compared to non-mining areas for circulatory/respiratory, central nervous system, musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, urogenital, and ‘other’ types of defects. Spatial correlation between mountaintop mining and birth defects was also present, indicating that MTM activity in one county may have increased birth defect prevalence rates in surrounding counties.

The full story, including the major players in the MTR world, can be found here - http://desmogblog.com/mountaintop-removal-mining-linked-birth-defects

[Jackpine Radical]

1. There is an easy answer to this.

Put an immediate halt to the collection of epidemiological data.

[ensho]

2. and this life time burden falls mainly on the mothers

and the mother's other children

[starroute]

3. Is it also tied to Appalachia's falling life expectancies?

[stuntcat]

4. when I saw this I first though-

my first thought was that people who think it's a good idea to level mountains for a few days of coal must have been born with brain defects like missing a conscience, or born with crippled hearts.
But then I saw the story, that's no surprise either.

k &r

[txlibdem]

5. The "anti-nuke" crowd stopped all those nuclear plants -- resulting in hundreds of new coal plants

A note to anyone who thinks of themselves as anti-nuclear power: YOU are directly responsible for the destroyed lives of each and every one of these children.