Hidden hazards behind coal cleaning technology: Unintended health deteriorations amid China's air quality...

The "Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan" was implemented by the Chinese government in 2013 to promote the adoption of clean coal technology, successfully led to a significant enhancement in air quality. However, it may have inadvertently shifted pollution from the downstream to the upstream stages of the coal life cycle, leading to unobserved adverse environmental impacts due to the improper treatment of coal-washing wastewater. Consequently, residents in China's coal-production areas may be vulnerable to notable health risks due to intensified coal-washing activities. This study is the first empirical analysis that utilizes real-world microdata, employing a difference-in-differences model to uncover a significant decline in children's health in China's largest coal-production area. It found increases of 7.2 % and 6.3 % in the frequency and probability of hospital visits, respectively. In rural areas, there were increases of 9.5 % and 7.7 %, respectively. Furthermore, in rural areas where people prefer sons over daughters, the observed effects for girls were significantly higher, at 11.8 % and 13 %, respectively. These results indicate that the rapid expansion of clean coal technology could have considerable adverse effects on public health, highlighting the critical need for meticulous management and supervision of related technologies to effectively mitigate potential health risks.