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Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Power plant workers can breathe easier now that the Environmental Protection Agency issued a consent decree to allow for the passage of new rules aimed at reducing toxic emissions of soot, mercury, and other chemicals from coal-fired and oil-burning power plants.
The EPA was sued by a coalition of public health and environmental groups claiming that the EPA failed to meet the deadline for issuing regulations controlling toxic air pollution from power plants as per the Clean Air Act of 1990. The agency plans to adopt this new set of rules by November 2011.
Power plants utilized asbestos as an insulation material and some of the workers have since developed malignant mesothelioma, a serious cancer caused by asbestos that attacks the lining of the lungs and has no known cure. While it is unclear if any plants continue to use asbestos containing materials, the new rules may help lower the risk of asbestos exposure.
Mercury emissions and soot pollution were the primary focus of the lawsuit. The pollution from the chemicals can cause respiratory problems such as asthma and bronchitis and have also been known to contribute to heart attacks and stroke.
Labels: asbestos, mesothelioma
posted by Nancy Meredith at 8:00 AM
