TEDMED 2017
Michael Hendryx: The shocking danger of mountaintop removal -- and why it must end
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Research investigator Michael Hendryx studies mountaintop removal, an explosive type of surface coal mining used in Appalachia that comes with unexpected health hazards. In this data-packed talk, Hendryx presents his research and tells the story of the pushback he's received from the coal industry, advocating for the ethical obligation scientists have to speak the truth.
Michael Hendryx - Research investigator
Michael Hendryx is focused on the impacts of uneven environmental exposures faced by socioeconomically disadvantaged groups. Full bio
Michael Hendryx is focused on the impacts of uneven environmental exposures faced by socioeconomically disadvantaged groups. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:25
Let's say that you wanted
to conduct an experiment.
to conduct an experiment.
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In this experiment,
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you randomly assign people
to live in blasting zones
to live in blasting zones
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or in control locations without explosives
going off over their heads.
going off over their heads.
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They live in the community for years,
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just downwind and downstream
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from sites where tons of explosives
are used almost daily.
are used almost daily.
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And millions of gallons
of water contaminated.
of water contaminated.
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With random assignment,
you could carefully study
you could carefully study
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the long-term health effects
of living in these blasting communities
of living in these blasting communities
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without a bunch of annoying
confounders and covariates.
confounders and covariates.
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Random assignment does wonders.
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That would be a rigorous,
powerful scientific inquiry
powerful scientific inquiry
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into the effects of these
environmental exposures.
environmental exposures.
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Of course, such a study
could never be done.
could never be done.
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Most scientists wouldn't have
the stomach for it.
the stomach for it.
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The institutional review board
would never approve it;
would never approve it;
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it would never pass human subjects review,
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because it would be unethical, immoral.
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And yet in effect,
it is happening right now.
it is happening right now.
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In my mind, this prompts some questions.
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What is the ethical obligation
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of the scientists who believes
populations are in danger?
populations are in danger?
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How much evidence is enough
to be confident of our conclusions?
to be confident of our conclusions?
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Where is the line between
scientific certainty and the need to act?
scientific certainty and the need to act?
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The unplanned experiment
that is happening right now
that is happening right now
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is called mountaintop removal.
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The abbreviation for it is MTR.
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It is a form of surface coal mining
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that takes place in Appalachia,
here in the United States.
here in the United States.
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MTR occurs in four states: Virginia,
West Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee.
West Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee.
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Over 1.2 million acres
have been mined in this way.
have been mined in this way.
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This is an area about the size of Delaware
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but it is spread over a footprint
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as large as Vermont
and New Hampshire combined.
and New Hampshire combined.
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The process involves clear-cutting
ancient Appalachian forest,
ancient Appalachian forest,
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home to some of the richest
biodiversity on the planet.
biodiversity on the planet.
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The trees are typically burned
or dumped into adjacent valleys.
or dumped into adjacent valleys.
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Then, to reach the buried coal seams,
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explosives are used to remove
up to 800 feet of mountain elevation.
up to 800 feet of mountain elevation.
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Over 1,500 tons of explosives
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are used for coal mining
in West Virginia alone.
in West Virginia alone.
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Every day.
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Rock and soil debris
is dumped over the valley sides
is dumped over the valley sides
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where it permanently buries
headwater streams.
headwater streams.
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So far, over 500 mountains
have been destroyed.
have been destroyed.
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About 2,000 miles of streams
have been permanently buried.
have been permanently buried.
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Water emerging from the base
of the valley fills is highly contaminated
of the valley fills is highly contaminated
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and remains contaminated for decades.
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The coal then has to be
chemically treated,
chemically treated,
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crushed and washed before it can be
transported to power plants and burned.
transported to power plants and burned.
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This cleaning takes place on-site.
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The process produces more air pollution
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and contaminates billions
of gallons of water with metals,
of gallons of water with metals,
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sulfates, cleaning chemicals
and other impurities.
and other impurities.
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All of this to produce three percent
of US electricity demand --
of US electricity demand --
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only three percent
of US electricity demand.
of US electricity demand.
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As you can appreciate, this prompts
all sorts of other questions.
all sorts of other questions.
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What are the health impacts
of mountaintop-removal mining?
of mountaintop-removal mining?
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There are over a million people
who live in counties where MTR takes place
who live in counties where MTR takes place
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and millions more downstream and downwind.
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What has been the response
of industry and government
of industry and government
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when these issues are documented?
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And again, what is the ethical
obligation of science
obligation of science
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when faced with this disturbing situation?
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I began to research this issue in 2006.
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I had just taken a job
at West Virginia University.
at West Virginia University.
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Before then, I hadn't done
any research related to coal.
any research related to coal.
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But I started to hear stories
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from people who lived
in these mining communities.
in these mining communities.
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They said that the water
they drank was not clean,
they drank was not clean,
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that the air they breathed was polluted.
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They would tell me
about their own illnesses
about their own illnesses
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or illnesses in their family.
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They were worried about how common
cancer was in their neighborhoods.
cancer was in their neighborhoods.
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I met with many people
in southern West Virginia
in southern West Virginia
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and eastern Kentucky
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to listen to those stories
and hear their concerns.
and hear their concerns.
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I searched the scientific literature
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and was surprised to learn
that nothing had been published
that nothing had been published
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on the public health effects
of coal mining in the United States.
of coal mining in the United States.
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05:00
Let me say that again --
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nothing had been published
on the public health effects
on the public health effects
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of coal mining in the US.
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So I thought, "I can make
a new contribution,
a new contribution,
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no matter what I find,
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to either confirm these concerns
or to alleviate them."
or to alleviate them."
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I had no personal
or organizational agenda.
or organizational agenda.
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Many of my colleagues
initially were skeptical
initially were skeptical
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that there would be any link
between public health and mining.
between public health and mining.
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They predicted that the health problems
could be explained by poverty
could be explained by poverty
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or by lifestyle issues,
like smoking and obesity.
like smoking and obesity.
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When I started, I thought
maybe they would be right.
maybe they would be right.
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We started by analyzing existing databases
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that allowed us to link
population health to mining activity
population health to mining activity
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and to control statistically for age, sex,
race, smoking, obesity, poverty,
race, smoking, obesity, poverty,
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education, health insurance
and others we could measure.
and others we could measure.
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We found evidence that confirmed
the concerns of the residents,
the concerns of the residents,
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and we started to publish our findings.
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06:01
As a very brief summary,
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we found that people who live
where mountaintop removal takes place
where mountaintop removal takes place
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have significantly higher levels
of cardiovascular disease,
of cardiovascular disease,
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kidney disease and chronic
lung disease like COPD.
lung disease like COPD.
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Death rates from cancer
are significantly elevated,
are significantly elevated,
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especially for lung cancer.
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We've seen evidence
for higher rates of birth defects
for higher rates of birth defects
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and for babies born at low birth weight.
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The difference in total mortality
equates to about 1,200 excess deaths
equates to about 1,200 excess deaths
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every year in MTR areas,
controlling for other risks.
controlling for other risks.
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Twelve hundred excess deaths every year.
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Not only are death rates higher,
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but they increase
as the levels of mining go up
as the levels of mining go up
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in a dose-response manner.
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Next, we started to conduct
community door-to-door health surveys.
community door-to-door health surveys.
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We surveyed people
living within a few miles of MTR
living within a few miles of MTR
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versus similar rural
communities without mining.
communities without mining.
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Survey results show higher levels
of personal and family illness,
of personal and family illness,
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self-reported health status is poorer,
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and illness symptoms across
a broad spectrum are more common.
a broad spectrum are more common.
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These studies are only associational.
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We all know that correlation
does not prove causation.
does not prove causation.
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These studies did not include data
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on the actual environmental conditions
in mining communities.
in mining communities.
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So we started to collect
and report on that.
and report on that.
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We found that violations
of public drinking-water standards
of public drinking-water standards
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are seven times more common
in MTR areas versus non-mining areas.
in MTR areas versus non-mining areas.
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We collected air samples
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and found that particulate matter
is elevated in mining communities,
is elevated in mining communities,
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especially in the ultra-fine range.
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The dust in mining communities
contains a complex mixture,
contains a complex mixture,
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but includes high levels of silica,
a known lung carcinogen,
a known lung carcinogen,
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and potentially harmful organic compounds.
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We used the dust in laboratory experiments
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and found that it induced
cardiovascular dysfunction in rats.
cardiovascular dysfunction in rats.
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The dust also promoted the development
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of lung cancer in human
in vitro lung cells.
in vitro lung cells.
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This is just a quick summary
of some of our studies.
of some of our studies.
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The coal industry does not like
what we have to say.
what we have to say.
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Neither does the government
in coal country.
in coal country.
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Just like the tobacco industry
paid for research
paid for research
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to defend the safety of smoking,
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so the coal industry
has tried to do the same
has tried to do the same
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by paying people to write papers
claiming that MTR is safe.
claiming that MTR is safe.
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Lawyers have sent me harassing demands
under the Freedom of Information Act,
under the Freedom of Information Act,
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eventually denied by the courts.
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I'd been attacked at public testimony
at a Congressional hearing
at a Congressional hearing
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by a congressman
with ties to the energy industry.
with ties to the energy industry.
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One governor has publicly declared
that he refuses to read the research.
that he refuses to read the research.
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And after a meeting
with a member of Congress,
with a member of Congress,
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in which I specifically
shared my research,
shared my research,
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I later heard that representative say
they knew nothing about it.
they knew nothing about it.
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I worked with scientists
at the US Geological Survey
at the US Geological Survey
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on environmental sampling
for more than two years.
for more than two years.
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09:01
And just as they were starting
to publish their findings,
to publish their findings,
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they were suddenly instructed
by their superiors
by their superiors
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to stop work on this project.
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In August of this year,
the National Academy of Sciences
the National Academy of Sciences
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was suddenly instructed
by the federal government
by the federal government
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to stop their independent review
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of the public health consequences
of surface mining.
of surface mining.
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These actions are politically
motivated, in my view.
motivated, in my view.
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But there is opposition
from researchers, too.
from researchers, too.
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At conferences or meetings,
they express skepticism.
they express skepticism.
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OK, we are all taught,
as scientists, to be skeptical.
as scientists, to be skeptical.
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They ask, "What about
this possible explanation?"
this possible explanation?"
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"Have you considered
that alternative interpretation?"
that alternative interpretation?"
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They wonder, "There must be
some confounder that we missed.
some confounder that we missed.
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Some other variable
we haven't accounted for."
we haven't accounted for."
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"An in vitro study, what does that prove?"
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"A rat study -- how do we know the same
effects would be found in people?"
effects would be found in people?"
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Maybe so.
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Technically, you have to acknowledge
that they could be right,
that they could be right,
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but you know, maybe these health problems
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are not the result
of some unmeasured confound.
of some unmeasured confound.
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Maybe they result
from blowing up mountains
from blowing up mountains
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over people's heads.
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(Laughter)
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(Applause)
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There can always be doubt,
if doubt is what you seek.
if doubt is what you seek.
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Because we can never do that
defining experiment.
defining experiment.
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Any next study
must always be associational.
must always be associational.
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So perhaps you can understand
why I've started to wonder,
why I've started to wonder,
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how much evidence is enough?
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I've published over 30 papers
on this topic so far.
on this topic so far.
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Along with my coauthors, other researchers
have added to the evidence,
have added to the evidence,
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yet government doesn't want to listen,
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and the industry says
it's only correlational.
it's only correlational.
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They say Appalachians
have lifestyle issues.
have lifestyle issues.
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As though it had never occurred to us
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to control for smoking or obesity
or poverty or education
or poverty or education
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or health insurance.
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We controlled for all of those and more.
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There comes a point
where we don't need more research,
where we don't need more research,
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where we can't ask people
to be unwilling research subjects
to be unwilling research subjects
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so we can do the next study.
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As scientists, we follow
the data wherever it goes,
the data wherever it goes,
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but sometimes data can only take us so far
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and we have to decide,
as thinking, feeling human beings,
as thinking, feeling human beings,
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what it means and when it is time to act.
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I think that is true, not only for MTR
but for other situations
but for other situations
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where evidence is strong
and concerning but imperfect.
and concerning but imperfect.
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And when failing to act if you're wrong
means people's lives.
means people's lives.
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It may seem strange
that there is any controversy
that there is any controversy
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over the health effects
of mountaintop-removal mining.
of mountaintop-removal mining.
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But somehow, this subject has wound up
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in a scientific
and political twilight zone
and political twilight zone
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alongside the debate over climate change
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or the argument years ago
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about whether or not
smoking caused cancer.
smoking caused cancer.
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In this twilight zone, much of the data
seems to point to one conclusion.
seems to point to one conclusion.
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But the economics or the politics
or the prevailing public view
or the prevailing public view
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insist on the opposite conclusion.
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When you're a scientist
and you think you have a valid insight
and you think you have a valid insight
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where the health
of entire populations is at stake
of entire populations is at stake
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but you find yourself trapped
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in this twilight zone
of denial and disbelief,
of denial and disbelief,
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what is your moral and ethical obligation?
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Obviously, scientists are responsible
for telling the truth as they see it,
for telling the truth as they see it,
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based on evidence.
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Simply stated, we have an obligation
to stand up for the data.
to stand up for the data.
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It can be extremely frustrating
to wait around for public opinion
to wait around for public opinion
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or political consensus to catch up
to the scientific understanding.
to the scientific understanding.
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But the more controversial the subject
and the more frustrating the debate,
and the more frustrating the debate,
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the more critical it is for scientists
to preserve our objectivity
to preserve our objectivity
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and our reputation for integrity.
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Because integrity is the coin of the realm
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in scientific and public policy debate.
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In the long run,
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our reputation for integrity
is the most powerful tool that we have,
is the most powerful tool that we have,
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even more powerful than the data itself.
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Without an acknowledged integrity
on the part of scientists,
on the part of scientists,
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no amount of data
will ever convince people
will ever convince people
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to believe painful or difficult truths.
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But when we cultivate and guard
our reputation for integrity,
our reputation for integrity,
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when we patiently stand up for the data
and keep doing the studies
and keep doing the studies
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and keep calmly bringing
the results to the public,
the results to the public,
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that's when we have our greatest impact.
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Eventually, scientific truth
does and will win out.
does and will win out.
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How many lives will be lost while we wait?
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Too many already.
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But prevail we will.
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Thank you.
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(Applause)
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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Michael Hendryx - Research investigatorMichael Hendryx is focused on the impacts of uneven environmental exposures faced by socioeconomically disadvantaged groups.
Why you should listen
In 2006, Michael Hendryx started a research program on public health disparities for people in Appalachia who live in proximity to coal mining, with a focus on mountaintop removal. This research has shown that people who live close to mountaintop removal are at increased risk for a wide set of health problems including respiratory illness, cardiovascular disease, birth defects, cancer and more. Hendryx has published more than peer-reviewed research papers and has been an investigator on numerous grants and contracts. He is currently a Professor in the Department of Environmental Health at Indiana University Bloomington’s School of Public Health.
Michael Hendryx | Speaker | TED.com