Pollutants from SunCoke’s plant in Granite City that produces fuel for steelmaking could be responsible for six to 11 premature deaths and more than 3,300 asthma symptoms in residents annually, according to a recent report.
Industrious Labs, a Washington D.C.-based climate advocacy nonprofit, found that SunCoke Energy’s Metro East facility also could be responsible for workers taking off 528 days, 838 students staying home and $87 million to $161 million in total health costs every year.
“What this all adds up to is some really clear numbers on how we can think about the health impacts of this facility and all facilities involved in coal-based steelmaking in the U.S.,” said Hilary Lewis, the steel director at Industrious Labs.
Representatives from SunCoke Energy could not be reached for comment.
Coke, a coal-based fuel, is a key ingredient in blast furnace steelmaking. It’s used in large quantities to turn iron ore into steel.
Burning that coke releases a slew of harmful pollutants, particularly carbon dioxide, according to the environmental organization that specializes in helping heavy industry to become more climate friendly.
The group calculated its findings based on data reported to the U.S. EPA by the industry after running them through a model called the CO-Benefits Risk Assessment, or COBRA, Lewis said.
“I think it's particularly a useful tool for people who live near this facility to understand the health impacts of being a neighbor,” Lewis said. “With that information, they can ask for stronger regulations to protect public health and improvements and investments at this facility to move it away from coal.”
SunCoke’s facility in Granite City, called Gateway Energy, emitted more than 492,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2022, the report found.
U.S. Steel’s neighboring plant, Granite City Works, was not included in the nonprofit’s report because, with both blast furnaces shuttered, the facility is not currently burning coke. The first furnace closed in 2020 during the pandemic, and the second closed last year.
In total, the report found the 17 coke facilities in the U.S. could be responsible for an estimated 892 premature deaths, more than 250,000 cases of asthma and $13.2 billion in health costs.
The new findings come as the future of steelmaking in Granite City remains unclear.
Japanese steelmaker Nippon has a deal to purchase U.S. Steel for nearly $15 billion, but President Joe Biden, President-elect Donald Trump and other officials want it blocked. Before that deal, SunCoke made an offer for Granite City Works’ blast furnaces that union leaders said in 2022 would cost the region roughly 1,000 jobs.
That local deal stalled but could be resurrected, and Nippon leadership has not yet made any comments about its intentions with Granite City’s steel mill amid the larger purchase.
