Found in a new study Bitcoin mining It produces harmful air pollutants with fine particles of facilities that cross the main boundary, which affects the area far from the mines itself.
Between August 2022 and July 2023, about 1.9 million Americans were exposed to a significant level of these fine particles. Natural communication.
Influenced communities are located along the New York City, Houston/Austin metropolitan areas, northeastern Texas and Illinois/Kentucky border.
“Cross -state pollution”
The team, led by Dr. Francesca Dominici of Harvard TH Chan Public Health Health Health Health Health, found that Bitcoin mine often increased electrical production at fossil fuel plants.
Researchers who compiled data from the 34 largest Bitcoin mine operated in the United States argued that the Bitcoin mine in one week could trigger power plants in other states to burn more coal or gas to other state.
This creates a disappointing situation for the affected people.
For example, the electricity consumed by North Carolina’s mine was operated at Kentucky’s coal -fired power plant, and then influenced Illinois’ atmosphere. Residents have no immediate will for mine or power plants.
However, this situation provides a regulatory gap because the affected area is not the same as the contaminants originated.
Many “possible policy mechanisms” can help to alleviate the challenges of “cross -national pollution”, said one of the author, Dr. Scott Delaneey. decoding In an email interview. “But these policies require federal action.”
Dr. Delaney specifically suggests that the US Environmental Protection Bureau can issue the “good neighbor” rules for the PM2.5 (Fine Particle) air pollution.
Such a rule will be required to more actively control the power plant emissions. Delaney suggested that a program that encourages the responsible positions of mining facilities and data centers to reduce negative health effects can be started to reduce the negative health effects.
Password
The results of this study are also applied beyond encryption.
transmission, decoding Public -traded Bitcoin mining companies have been reported.
This trend has caused some of the miners to pivot from encryption to AI.
Delaney said, “Bitcoin mine and AI infrastructure require large data centers, and many equipment used to mining Bitcoin tokens can change its use for other applications.
This study comes from US President Donald Trump’s momentum that supports the encryption industry.
Trump said he wants to meet Bitcoin miners on the second campaign trail to create all Bitcoin in the United States.
Earlier this month, Trump signed an administrative order to promote coal production of the country.
The researchers behind this study warned that the continuous expansion of bitcoin mining, along with the AI infrastructure, could undergo environmental results.
If the United States pursues a policy of maintaining coal -fired power plants online beyond the planned retirement, researchers said. decoding“The pollution they produce will be much more toxic.”
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