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Review
. 2020 Mar;26(2):135-141.
doi: 10.1097/MCP.0000000000000653.

Coal mining and lung disease in the 21st century

Rachel Leonard  1 , Rafia Zulfikar, Robert Stansbury
Affiliations
Review

Coal mining and lung disease in the 21st century

Rachel Leonard et al. Curr Opin Pulm Med. 2020 Mar.

Abstract

Purpose of review: To review the impact of coal mining and resurgence of coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) in 21st century and effect of ambient air pollution on lung function.

Recent findings: At the beginning of 21st century, statistics by National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health showed a steep rise in pneumoconiosis. This was followed by numerous epidemiologic and pathologic studies that confirmed increasing CWP prevalence as well as disease in younger miners and those with a shorter mining tenure. Recent studies have demonstrated that poor dust control in mines, a relative shift in composition of the coal mine dust, small sized mines and increase in surface mining are all possible contributors to this resurgence. There is also growing literature evaluating the effects of worsening air pollution on health, including decreasing lung function and development of emphysema, worsening quality of life measures and lung cancer.

Summary: This irreversible but preventable disease currently haunts approximately 60 000 miners across United States and millions across the world. Its resurgence despite the strict dust regulations is a setback from the public health standpoint. The continued reliance on coal for energy will continue to place coal miners at danger of developing disease as well as the world.

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References

    1. Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969 (Public Law 91-173, amended in 1977 and 2006). Available at: https://arlweb.msha.gov/solicitor/coalact/69act.htm. [Accessed 14 August 2019]
    1. Blackley DJ, Halldin CN, Laney AS. Resurgence of a debilitating and entirely preventable respiratory disease among working coal miners. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2014; 190:708–709.
    1. Stansbury RC. Progressive massive fibrosis and coal mine dust lung disease: the continued resurgence of a preventable disease. Ann Am Thorac Soc 2018; 15:1394–1396.
    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Pneumoconiosis prevalence among working coal miners examined in federal chest radiograph surveillance programs: United States, 1996–2002. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2003; 52:336–340.
    1. Attfield MD. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Current intelligence bulletin 64: coal mine dust exposures and associated health outcomes - a review of information published since 1995. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2011–172; 2011 April

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