Stronghold’s Proposal to Utilize Tire Incineration for Bitcoin Mining Sparks Controversy in the US: Report

Stronghold Digital Mining, a prominent player in the cryptocurrency mining sector, is reportedly intending to utilize tire-derived fuel (composed of shredded vehicle tires) in its operations within Pennsylvania.

The incineration of such materials is a harmful process that pollutes the surrounding air, water, and soil. Consequently, it is not surprising that some local residents and environmental activists are strongly opposed to this initiative.

Mining BTC Through This Method is ‘Truly Unacceptable’

As reported by The Guardian, Stronghold aims to incinerate tires and harness the energy produced for bitcoin mining, a contentious decision due to its environmentally detrimental implications.

While the mining company asserts that it will recycle waste, critics contend that this method leads to pollution and poses significant health risks. The combustion of tires emits hazardous chemicals into the air, which have been associated with cancer, respiratory illnesses, and birth defects.

Naomi Harrington, a spokesperson for Stronghold, informed the media that materials like tire fuel “are particularly necessary when the energy content of coal refuse is low.” She also disclosed that Stronghold has secured a permit to experiment with tire-derived energy and is now seeking approval to utilize 78,000 tons of it.

Notably, the US Environmental Protection Agency has previously characterized the incineration of vehicle tires as a more favorable alternative to landfilling.

Nevertheless, residents of Carbon County, Pennsylvania, where Stronghold operates, have protested against this plan. Carol Etheride, a local resident living less than five miles from the Panther Creek facility, stated:

“I was shocked. It’s terrible. I can’t even believe that people would be allowed to burn tires. Burning tires to fuel something like bitcoin or cryptocurrency, which provides no benefit to anyone here locally, in my opinion, is truly unacceptable.”

Legal representatives and environmental advocates have also expressed their opposition. Charles McPhedran, an attorney with the nonprofit organization Earthjustice, asserted that burning tires endangers the health of local residents. He views this disposal method as “a last resort.”

Furthermore, Rob Altenburg from the local environmental organization PennFuture contended that Stronghold’s motivation for using tire-derived fuel is primarily to cut costs.

Utilizing Coal Waste as Well

In addition to its plans for tire-derived energy, Stronghold has already begun using coal waste to produce electricity for its supercomputers. This may raise concerns among environmental activists again, but the miner has provided additional information that could alleviate public apprehension.

For instance, it extracts coal ash from a Pennsylvania mine that has remained untouched for decades (which could pose a risk of soil and groundwater contamination if not managed).

The company then transports the byproduct to its boiler facility, where it is incinerated. The electricity generated powers Stronghold’s mining operations instead of relying on and potentially harming the national electricity grid.

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