A recently published study demonstrates that Bitcoin mining operations across the USA are significantly increasing air pollution levels. This unprecedented increase is subjecting millions of Americans to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) which can be harmful. The research, conducted by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, highlights the environmental impact of this energy-intensive process. The full study, published March 26 in Nature Communications, can be viewed or downloaded here.
The study found that Bitcoin mining, the process of generating cryptocurrency tokens through complex computations, exposes approximately 1.9 million Americans to elevated levels of PM2.5. PM2.5 is an air pollutant that consists of inhalable microscopic particles. These fine particles can get deep into your lungs and even enter your bloodstream, leading to a range of respiratory and cardiovascular problems.
Researchers built a dataset of the 34 largest U.S. Bitcoin mines using in-depth investigative reporting, financial disclosures, land records, satellite imagery, and interviews. They examined power limits pegged from August 2022 to July 2023. Clarence James Gamble, the Professor and chair of Biostatistics, Population, and Data Science, conducted the research. He was accompanied by co-authors Gianluca Guidi, Falco Bargagli Stoffi, and Scott Delaney.
Energy Consumption and Pollution Sources
Even the 34 biggest Bitcoin mines in the U.S. used 33% more electricity than the entire city of Los Angeles. This staggering figure underscores the massive energy needs of these operations. The overwhelming majority of the electricity that Bitcoin mines use is generated by fossil fuels. These subsidized fuels have been some of the largest drivers of our nation’s air pollution.
Using conservative assumptions, we calculated the resulting air pollution emissions based on the 635 power plants that provide electricity to these Bitcoin mines. They tracked where these emissions traveled.
For example, residents in Metropolis, Illinois, breathe high concentrations of Bitcoin mine-attributable PM2.5 air pollution released from a power plant in Kentucky that supplies a Bitcoin mine in North Carolina." - [nature.com/articles/s41467-025-58287-3"]
Interstate Air Pollution
The study also revealed that Bitcoin mining spreads air pollution across state lines, impacting communities far from the mining operations themselves. According to the new study, New Yorkers are suffering the most—from increased air pollution. In addition, Texans in the Houston/Austin metropolitan area, northeast Texas, and near/along the Illinois-Kentucky border are hit the hardest too.
This last finding, in particular, highlights the importance of extensive regulatory coordination to mitigate any potential environmental harms caused by expanding Bitcoin mining. Scott Delaney suggested that the Environmental Protection Agency could require upwind states to enact tighter restrictions on power plant emissions.
Call for Regulatory Action
The researchers call for emergency regulatory action to reduce the harmful air pollution created by Bitcoin mining. The proposed study underscores the potential for environmental regulations to mitigate the negative externalities caused by cryptocurrency mining.
By implementing stricter emission standards for power plants and promoting the use of renewable energy sources, policymakers can reduce the air pollution burden on communities affected by Bitcoin mining.
