Health Effects and Costs of Biomass Burning

Dear Editor:

The proposed biomass burning electrical generating plant will have far reaching health effects on the people in Port St. Joe. The proponents have not been truthful in the clean and green marketing campaign—about the true levels of air pollution or the costs to your individual health and to public health.

If this plant is built, along with others proposed in the Southeast, the increased emissions of CO2 will accelerate climate change. This will not only affect individual health but the costs in terms of public health will be significant. In an era when health care costs are out of control we cannot afford to add to the burden.

Since the biomass plant emits more CO2, NOx, and small particulates than a comparably sized coal plant, the result will be an increase in ground level ozone. Ozone is a lung irritant that has effects that can last for days. The American Lung Association says the effect is similar to smoking. High levels of ozone trigger asthma attacks, and new evidence shows repeated ozone exposure may actually cause asthma. People with emphysema, other chronic lung diseases, angina or congestive heart failure will all be sicker—their symptoms will be worse on more days.

In Atlanta, a recent study of asthma patients showed that a three-week period when ozone levels were low resulted in a 42% decrease in hospitalizations and a 55% decrease in ER admissions. Across the country this is significant with asthma health care costs being approximately $21 billion dollars a year. The American Lung Association estimates that approximately half of all asthma attacks could be avoided by “cleaning up the power plants”. [State of the Air Report 2009].

Climate change will force us to think about health care in entirely new ways because the rising CO2 levels have both direct and indirect effects, unexpected effects, and the effects multiply each other.

For instance, higher temperatures, increased CO2 and higher levels of NOx have a multiplier effect that increases the effects of ozone.

Unexpected effects of climate change and rising CO2 are numerous. For instance, allergies are a significant health problem and cost in the country. Increased CO2 has been shown to both increase pollen production, lengthen the time pollen is produced, and increase the antigenicity of ragweed – don’t see any in your backyard, it has a wind distribution of 400 miles. Likewise, increased CO2 causes increased plant growth and increased allergenic reaction to poison ivy according to the WHO.

Climate change has also led to more lightning activity across the country according to the White House Report on Climate Change. The unexpected effects of more lightning—increased NOx, increased ozone, increased pollen production with a resultant increase in asthma and cardiovascular disease related hospitalizations and ER visits.

Over the next decade the EPA has also projected that the number of heat wave days will increase as a result of rising CO2 levels, actually quadruple in Chicago. The danger of dehydration and serious complications are increased for the obese (at least 20 percent of the population), diabetics, patients with cardiovascular disease, as well as children and the elderly. Each year deaths from heat related causes exceed the total deaths caused by hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, and lightning strikes. The Chicago heat wave in 1995 lasted less than a week but caused more than 700 deaths. A 13 day heat wave in California in 2005 resulted in 16,000 additional ER visits and 1700 additional hospitalizations at a cost that exceeded $132,000,000.

The health effects of rising particulates are just as significant as those caused by climate change secondary to increasing CO2 levels. Studies in California have shown that prolonged exposure to heavy truck traffic increased risk of cancer 40-350 percent, and the fuel supply and ash disposal for the proposed plant will likely result in approximately 200 truck transits a day. Other studies have shown that exposure to particulates rivals being overweight and obesity as a cause of premature death. The EPA has also stated that exposure to particulate matter increases the risk of preterm delivery and SIDS, as well as exacerbating and precipitating respiratory distress and cardiovascular events. . [http://ww w.epa.gov/oar/particlepollution].

Finally any consideration of the medical costs of climate change must consider the imminent water problems facing much of the country. Water is an absolute essential for life. As the climate warms more and more people in the United States will face limited water supplies and lower water quality. The proposed plant in Port St. Joe will draw more than half a million gallons a day from local groundwater, and the discharge of effluent to holding ponds may pollute that ground water, but at this time no environmental review has been done to objectively measure the impact.

The proposed plant in Port St. Joe will contribute to global warming because the emissions, especially CO2, will accelerate climate change and the emissions of particulates and NOx will worsen local air quality. While there is no data for Gulf County, Bay County currently is rated as an F for ozone. The medical costs to the community and to individuals will be significant when emissions from this plant cause further deterioration of air quality. Florida is blessed with other sources of truly clean power that would be a better choice than a wood burning electrical generation plant.

Dr. Bill Sammons

Lincoln, MA