Expansion of Renewable Energy Industries and Implications for Occupational Health
- Steven A. Sumner, MD;
- Peter M. Layde, MD, MSc
- Author Affiliations: Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina (Dr Sumner); Injury Research Center (Drs Sumner and Layde) and Department of Population Health (Dr Layde), Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.
Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text.
- KEYWORDS:
- CHEMICALS, HAZARDOUS
- ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC HEALTH
- ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
- FOSSIL FUELS
- HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES
- OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
- PUBLIC HEALTH
Recent passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 20091 provides significantly increased funding for renewable energy industries that are expected to increasingly supplant the traditional fossil fuel energy industries of coal, oil, and natural gas.
Although fossil fuel energy has historically been priced lower than renewable energy, hidden costs to energy production have not been fully included or internalized in the market price of fuel, thereby distorting true costs. These additional costs are known as externalities of energy. One such externality of energy is adverse effects on human health.
Human health problems associated with high carbon dioxide emissions from energy production have largely been described as resulting from air pollution; spread of vector and waterborne infectious diseases2; flood, drought, and malnutrition2; and deaths due to terrorist attacks and military intervention.3 A reduction in these problems has been touted as an important benefit …
