Study: Coal Miners' Black Lung Disease on Rise

New research shows that black lung disease is on the rise among modern coal miners. A recent study from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the University of Illinois Chicago found that modern coal miners, particularly those in Central Appalachia, are more likely than their predecessors to die from pneumoconiosis, progressive massive fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer. The research used data from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Federal Black Lung Program and is described as “the largest existing study on causes of mortality in...