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Pollution from Chicago’s two coal plants has created up to $1 billion in health and related damages in the last 8 years, according to a report released today by the Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC).

The report uses data from the National Research Council that found that particulate matter, or soot, from the Fisk and Crawford coal plants in Chicago created $127 million in health and related damages in 2005.

Using that model, ELPC analyzed pollution emissions data and found that the two plants have created between $750 million and $1 billion in public health damages since 2002.

greennumbers pollution pollution emissions data health and related damages Environmental Law & Policy Center chicago coal health

For everything we take from the Earth, there is a byproduct or consequence. Perhaps pollution is a symptom of nature's imbalance. Some people reap from the Earth, but countless others become sick, displaced or harmed due to the resulting pollution — affecting wildlife and more. On the off chance that a guilty conscience is an unknown symptom of overexploitation, here's a list of the 10 worst forms of pollution and their effects on humans.

pollution oilspill radiation pictures photographs

The environmental organisation SkyTruth uses satellite images to monitor mining, drilling, logging and pollution – here is some of what it's seen.

sky truth images mining drilling logging pollution satellite images

In the US Northwest states, 53 percent of our CO2 emissions from fossil fuels stem from transportation uses including commute traffic, freight, and planes. Our transportation sector produces more than three times as much climate pollution as electricity production does.

When we're looking at how to reduce our climate-changing emissions, we must look at how to reduce emissions in this sector.

co2 emissions transportation pollution climate change electricity production

Does the ban on cosmetic pesticides work?

Ontario’s ban came into effect on April 22, 2009. Since then, there has been a dramatic decline in the concentration of pesticides in urban watercourses – according to a study released by the Ministry of the Environment

pesticides cosmetic pesticides ban pollution

Sobering video where Jonathan Watts reports from Xinglong, a small village in China's Yunnan province where locals blame the high cancer rates on water pollution from a neighbouring industrial plant

cancer village china pollution

Royal Dutch Shell plc spilled nearly 14,000 tons of crude oil into the creeks of the Niger Delta last year, the company has announced, blaming thieves and militants for the environmental damage.

Royal Dutch Shel shell greennumbers nigeria oil spill oilspill Niger Delta pollution

The largest airport in the country, with the “greenest” parking lot, is in a bit of environmental trouble: a DIA raw sewage spill may have sent a million gallons of disgusting into waterways that can feed into the Barr Lake fishery and bird sanctuary (enjoy that, bald eagles).

Denver International Airport airport sewage raw sewage greennumbers pollution

As ships get bigger, the pollution is getting worse. The most staggering statistic of all is that just 16 of the world’s largest ships can produce as much lung-clogging sulphur pollution as all the world’s cars.

greennumbers ships shipping pollution sulfur sulphur

The quality of China's overworked, polluted and artificially fertilised soil needs to be protected or the country could struggle to grow enough crops for the 300 million to 400 million people who will move from the countryside to the city over the next 30 years, a senior government adviser warned today.

china soil deterioration soil pollution artificially fertilised soil soil fertility

The world's largest global investors issued a joint call today for strong action this year from U.S. and international policy makers in the fight against global warming. Amid growing focus on upcoming international climate treaty talks and Congressional debate of climate and energy legislation, global investors meeting here issued a major policy statement calling for a strong and binding international treaty that will reduce pollution and catalyze massive global investments in low-carbon technologies. Signed by 181 investors collectively managing more than $13 trillion in assets, today's investor statement is the largest of its kind on climate change in world history.

investors climate treaty talks pollution climate change

Report for the UN into the activities of the world's 3,000 biggest companies estimates one-third of profits would be lost if firms were forced to pay for use, loss and damage of environment

greennumbers profits environment pollution financially accountable freshwater fisheries

From bisphenol A (BPA) to flame retardants and beyond, industrial chemicals that have troubling connections to a host of human health problems and are widely used in consumer products came under tough scrutiny before a U.S. Senate hearing this week (Feb. 4).

New Jersey Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg (D) called top government officials and national experts from the environmental community to testify before the Subcommittee on Superfund, Toxics and Environmental Health, which he chairs. The central topic was biomonitoring and the importance of determining what chemicals are turning up in people, particularly in children.

children pollution chemicals health environmental working group

"Ozone blowing over from Asia is raising background levels of a major ingredient of smog in the skies over western US states, according to a new study appearing in today's edition of the journal Nature."

asia pollution ozone us

Beijing's mayor Guo Jinlong said on Monday that the Chinese capital faces an "extremely serious" pollution problem, unveiling a target for "blue sky days" below the number achieved for all of 2009.

beijing china blue sky days pollution

After wrestling for years with Beijing's appalling traffic and pollution problems, city planners have come up with a distinctly old-fashioned solution: bicycles.

beijing china cycling bicycles pollution air quality

Between April 1, 2008, and March 31, 2009, Massey violated its effluent limits at its various operations at least 971 times, and accrued 12,977 days of violation during that 12-month period. The U.S. government’s lawsuit against Massey, which resulted in the $20 million settlement, alleged more than 60,000 violations over a six-year period, or about 10,000 violations per year.

massey water pollution epa sierra club

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has decreed that a paper mill on the shores of Siberia's Lake Baikal can restart production despite years of complaints about pollution of the world's largest freshwater lake.

paper paper mill pollution putin siberia lake baikal

Last week it was reported that China - which has a global monopoly on the production of rare-earth metals - is now threatening to cut off vital supplies to the West. A shortage would jeopardise the manufacturing and development of green technologies such as wind turbines and low-energy lightbulbs. RICHARD JONES is the first Western journalist to visit the rare-earth mines in Inner Mongolia to discover why China is unwilling to give up its precious elements...

china pollution unobtanium rare earth metals mining

"Poor visibility delayed about 280 domestic and international flights serving Beijing on Wednesday, the capital's airport said, following several days of heavy air pollution."

china pollution airport flights delayed air pollution