Black Lung disease is experiencing a resurgence among coal miners, according to recent data, with a strong increase even among younger miners with fewer years of exposure to the respirable coal dust that causes the disease.
While it appeared that the incidence rate had declined in the 1990’s, information collected by National Public Radio (NPR) after a report was released by the National Black Lung Resurgence Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) indicate an unprecedented number of cases of Black Lung disease being diagnosed in Appalachia.