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Poland: Coal’s Deadly Toll
Poland gets 90 percent of its power and much of its heat by burning coal, one of the dirtiest of...
Poland is among the most coal-dependent nations in Europe, and its leaders are the fuel's staunchest defenders whenever European Union negotiators discuss new environmental rules. In wintertime, many Poles burn coal to heat their homes, creating a foul fog that sits over Polish cities for months on end, poisoning lungs and adding to Poland's severe air pollution problem. Pulitzer Center grantee Beth Gardiner discusses her reporting from Poland, where the reliance on coal has resulted in a severe public health crisis that results in the premature deaths of about 4,500 people each year.
![Media file: poster_at_coal_lot.jpg](/sites/default/files/04-12-15/poster_at_coal_lot.jpg ""Quality is our priority," says the banner at Grzegorz Rumin's coal lot. "100 percent Polish coal." However, experts say coal burned in Polish homes is often low quality and highly polluting. Image by Beth Gardiner. Poland, 2015.")
