Burning Tires For Crypto Mining Instills Fear of Death in People

While it was just coal-generated power to run crypto mining operations that concerned people, the news is coming that a facility in Pennsylvania is likely to run its operations on energy produced after burning tires. WYOU, a local CBS affiliate, reported a public hearing was held to address the issue.

That’s a Load of Smoke

Denizens fear the ill effects it will leave behind alongside carbon footprints on the community. Both the locals and crypto miner Panther Creek Power presented their arguments to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The company will reportedly burn 70,000 tons of shredded tires to make energy for their operations.

Towamensing Township’s Lucy Freck says, “Panther Creek has been here, it’s been a great asset to the community. I feel that as part of the community, they still need to be a good neighbor. They still need to be a good member of the community.” While citizens believe it will cause air pollution, a company representative believes that it will not happen.

Another Towamensing Township resident Roy Christmas thinks the company’s operations will not aid the community in any way. He says, “When they were burning coal, waste coal, at least that was benefiting the community. I don’t see how this benefits the local residents at all, other than a few jobs.”

Similar concerns have been raised in other US states where crypto miners are flocking. Rural newspaper The Daily Yonder reports that “critics of crypto-mining operations say the burgeoning industry is not delivering on promises to provide jobs and economic development to rural areas in exchange for cheap power and tax breaks.”

Fear of death is brewing among the denizens. Burning tires emit gasses more harmful than carbon. A Lehighton resident Gil Waters believes the cost of these operations is death. Steve Chuckra, another citizen, said “Burning tires releases benzine, xylene, ethylene, and acetone. All these chemicals are known to cause cancer.”

Carbon County is already a part of the Coal Region of Northeastern Pennsylvania, known for abundant deposits of anthracite coal. Although it is unclear if the crypto mining facility will make use of coal too, it would do less damage given that anthracite coal is the highest quality of coal and emits less greenhouse gasses (GHGs).

Proof-of-Work (PoW) cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC) are highly energy intensive. Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), an energy organization, reports that the cryptocurrency uses 127 terawatts-hours (TWh) annually, more than countries like Norway. An event called halving is scheduled for next year which the analysts believe will add to the asset’s value.

Apart from air, BTC allegedly has a negative impact on land and water too. A study indicates that mining rigs are sometimes cooled down using fresh water despite the fact that non-fresh water can be used too. In most cases, fans are used to release heat from mining rigs, however, people have complained that this causes sound reaching up to 90 decibels, adding to noise pollution in many regions including Kentucky, Arkansas, and more.

Anurag is working as a fundamental writer for The Coin Republic since 2021. He likes to exercise his curious muscles and research deep into a topic. Though he covers various aspects of the crypto industry, he is quite passionate about the Web3, NFTs, Gaming, and Metaverse, and envisions them as the future of the (digital) economy. A reader & writer at heart, he calls himself an “average guitar player” and a fun footballer.