NPR News·4 min read·medium
Appalachia's black lung rates highest in nearly 50 years as miners' protections stall
H
Howard Berkes
✦AI Summary
New research from NIOSH reveals that coal miners in central Appalachia are experiencing the highest rates of black lung disease in nearly 50 years. The study indicates that even miners with shorter tenures are facing increased risks, highlighting a significant failure in current occupational safety protections.
Respiratory therapist Marcy Freeman doesn't need a research study to confirm for her a return to the dark days of coal mining. She finds evidence in a stack of more than 150 funeral programs, all for former patients at her pulmonary rehabilitation clinic in Norton, Virginia.
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