OTTAWA—The Canadian Lung Association applauds the federal government for their commitment to phase-out coal-fired power plants across Canada by 2030.
“Ending the use of coal-fired power plants in Canada will help Canadians who have serious lung diseases such as asthma and COPD breathe easier. Cleaner air will mean fewer emergency room visits for people with respiratory disease,” says Barbara MacKinnon, The Lung Association.
The Pembina Institute, in collaboration withThe Canadian Lung Association and other health organizations has released a new report, Out with the Coal, in with the New: National benefits of an accelerated phase-out of coal-fired power, estimates the air pollution-related health benefits associated with a Canada-wide phase-out of coal-fired power plants by 2030.
The report highlights the association between air pollutants and worsening chronic heart and lung diseases. These include lung cancer and asthma, and acute heart and lung ailments that result in premature deaths, hospital admissions, and emergency room visits. The very young, the elderly, and those with pre-existing health conditions such as asthma are the ones most at risk for adverse effects from air pollution.
For more information about the report, visit http://www.pembina.org/pub/out-with-coal
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