When a Coke Plant Closed in Pittsburgh, Cardiovascular ER Visits Plunged
When a Coke Plant Closed in Pittsburgh, Cardiovascular ER Visits Plunged
A recent study highlights the health benefits of particular plants closing and generally reducing exposure to fossil fuels, researchers say.
A recent study highlights the health benefits of particular plants closing and generally reducing exposure to fossil fuels, researchers say.
My overtired brain took this as a coca cola plant and much confusion was had.
110It isn't a coca cola plant?
20Either drug decriminalization has come a lot farther than I realized, or it's this
22Not quite. At the very least you wouldn't want to drink anything that is coming out of it.
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“In this type of plant, coal is heated until it turns into coke, an ingredient used to make steel. When heated, coal releases carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and other pollutants.”
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Can't say that's surprising, I'm sure Pittsburgh's overall health has come a long way since they shifted away from the steel mills and factories that used to fill the city. I'd say it's hard to pin it on this one factory when they've been working to clean up the city for decades.
34Yeah, the medical industry is now huge in Pittsburgh.
Hard to say if it's the closing of the coke plant or the expansion of UPMC. Probably both.
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It's funny, growing up near a steel mill/train hub, I took for granted how confused other people might be about what the hell "coke" is.
On-topic - I once looked up stats for estimated premature deaths due to industry in our area and it was eye-opening. I really want to get out of here.
Crazy how people have the ability to overlook/ignore deaths caused by things as long as the deaths are a bit more gradual. A hundred premature deaths over the course of a year or so is practically nothing on the public's radar, but if an accidental release at the mill killed a single person downwind, there'd be hell to pay.
29My stepfather works in a coke plant. I worry about how it is impacting his health
4Maybe visits plunged because people left after they lost their jobs?
-7A little over 200 people lost their jobs when this plant closed, I doubt this was a large portion of the population.
13Or maybe pollution is, and stop me if this is too difficult a concept, bad.
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