Are data centers bad for your health?

Air: what the engines emit

Most data centers keep diesel generators for backup. EPA’s AP-42 emissions-factor guidance says the main pollutants that internal combustion engines emit are nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons and other organic compounds, carbon monoxide and particulates[4], and for gas turbines, nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide, and, to a smaller degree, volatile organic compounds[7]. An EPA fact sheet on stationary engine standards says diesel engine pollutants are known or suspected to cause cancer and other serious health effects, among them aggravated respiratory and cardiovascular disease[5]. In June 2012 the World Health Organization’s cancer agency classified exhaust from diesel engines as carcinogenic to humans, based on sufficient evidence of increased lung cancer risk[3].

What those emissions do at ordinary exposure levels is well documented. EPA says numerous studies link particle pollution to early death among people with heart or lung disease, as well as nonfatal heart attacks, irregular heartbeat and aggravated asthma[8], with children, older adults, people with heart or lung disease, minority populations and low-income populations most likely to be affected[8]. Nitrogen dioxide, which comes primarily from burning fuel, can irritate airways[9].

The exposure question is how often the engines run. Virginia’s JLARC reported that almost all existing data centers rely on Tier 2 diesel generators, which the state allows to run only in emergencies or for testing[1], and calculated their share of regional nitrogen oxide emissions at under 4%[1]. That boundary has been tested: EPA issued a clarification in May 2025 that certain engines can run up to 50 hours a year under non-emergency conditions to provide power to the grid[10], engine hours run under DOE emergency orders do not count toward that 50[11], and Data Center Knowledge reported in May 2026 that Virginia DEQ concluded that generators holding emergency-unit permits will run for extended periods[12]. Virginia has since begun requiring Tier 4-equivalent standards for new or modified data center generators[13].

What researchers estimate

In a December 2024 piece titled “Air Pollution and the Public Health Costs of AI,” Caltech reported estimates of as many as 1,300 premature deaths a year in the U.S. by 2030, with total public health costs approaching an estimated $20 billion a year[2]. The same piece says backup generators create regional public health costs of about $190 million to $260 million each year, rising tenfold to $1.9 billion to $2.6 billion if they emitted at their maximum permitted level[2]. A later version of that work, now titled “Health-Informed Computing” and listed as accepted by Communications of the ACM (June 2026), projects the total yearly burden that U.S. data centers place on public health[14].

These are modeled estimates of a national total, not measurements at any one site. Virginia DEQ is running a data center air monitoring project, funded by an EPA grant, in response to data center growth in Northern Virginia and citizen concerns about emissions from backup generators and natural gas turbines[6].

On-site gas turbines

Some AI campuses now generate their own power on site, which changes the emissions picture from occasional testing to continuous operation. EPA says stationary combustion turbines and engines, common primary and backup power sources for data centers, are subject to federal standards[11], and that most air permits for data centers are issued by state and local air agencies under EPA-approved programs[11].

The clearest example is Memphis. Action News 5 reported in July 2025 that the Shelby County Health Department’s approval of xAI’s natural gas-fired turbines includes caps on the facility[15]; Tennessee Lookout reported the NAACP and another group appealed that air permit for 15 gas turbines[16], and that according to the appeal as many as 35 gas turbines able to generate more than 420 MW were on the campus before it sought the permit[16]. The Memphis and Shelby County Air Pollution Control Board dismissed the appeal as moot in December 2025[17]. The Southern Environmental Law Center, which opposed the permit, says methane gas turbines emit smog-forming pollution along with chemicals such as formaldehyde, which it ties to asthma, respiratory illness, heart problems and some cancers[18] (an advocacy claim).

Noise

WHO/Europe said when releasing its 2018 environmental noise guidelines that noise ranks among the leading environmental threats to people’s mental and physical health and well-being across the European Region[19] — though those guidelines cover transportation, wind turbine and leisure noise, not data centers[20]. EPA says studies have shown direct links between noise and health, including high blood pressure, stress-related illnesses, hearing loss, interference with speech and disrupted sleep[21]; since 1981, primary responsibility for noise has sat with state and local governments after EPA’s noise office was closed[21].

For data centers specifically, JLARC found the noise is not loud enough to damage hearing and rarely loud enough to violate ordinances, but that its constant nature has sometimes been a problem near homes[1]. Our noise guide has the decibel limits localities have adopted.

Do data centers give off radiation?

Not the kind that damages DNA. The electrical equipment that serves a data center, power lines and wiring above all, produces extremely-low-frequency electromagnetic fields[22]. The National Cancer Institute places those fields, along with radio waves and microwaves, in the non-ionizing part of the spectrum and says they are not known to damage DNA or cells directly[22]. The radiation that can do that, ionizing radiation such as x-rays and gamma rays, comes from higher-frequency sources[22].

Concerns about electromagnetic fields usually attach to the transmission lines built to serve a campus rather than the building. WHO’s 2007 backgrounder describes a consistent pattern linking average residential power-frequency magnetic field exposure above 0.3 to 0.4 microtesla with a two-fold increase in childhood leukaemia[23], while concluding that “on balance, the evidence related to childhood leukaemia is not strong enough to be considered causal”[23]. WHO said in 2016 that extensive research has so far turned up no evidence that exposure to low-level electromagnetic fields harms human health[24], and the National Cancer Institute says no consistent evidence has been found that any source of non-ionizing EMF is associated with cancer, and that magnetic fields weaken quickly with distance from their source[22].

Is it safe to live near a data center?

It depends on the site: what runs there, how often, and how far away you are. The evidence above points to four things worth checking for any project near you.

• What burns on site. In Virginia, backup diesel generators may run only in emergencies or for maintenance testing[1]; a campus that generates its own power with gas turbines or engines runs them far more often (see behind-the-meter power). Either way the engines are subject to federal air standards[11], and most data center air permits are issued by state or local air agencies[11].
• Noise. Noise complaints are among the most persistent issues residents raise in Loudoun County[13]. Some counties require noise studies before and after construction, Fairfax County among them[25].
• Distance. Setbacks vary by locality. Fairfax County requires data center buildings to be at least 200 feet from residential lot lines, and generators 300 feet unless the building shields them[25]. Magnetic fields from power lines weaken quickly with distance[22].
• Batteries. Large battery systems are a fire risk: the Daejeon data center fire began in lithium-ion batteries in the uninterruptible power supply, and took 22 hours to put out[26].

The Census records the nearest homes or schools, backup generation and air permits where a source documents them (below), and projects near a ZIP code shows what is planned around you.

Fire and battery safety

The most serious recent incident was a battery fire, not an emissions event. The Korea Herald reported that a fire at South Korea’s National Information Resources Service data center in Daejeon started when lithium-ion batteries in its uninterruptible power supply caught fire[26], and Uptime Institute said the fire began when one of the basement battery packs entered thermal runaway, resulting in an uncontrolled fire[27].

Common questions

Are data centers bad for your health?

The buildings themselves emit little; the engines do. EPA says pollutants from diesel engines are known or suspected to cause cancer and other serious health effects, and IARC classifies diesel exhaust as carcinogenic to humans. In practice exposure depends on how often engines run: Virginia’s auditors put data center generators at under 4% of regional nitrogen oxide emissions in Northern Virginia.

Do data centers cause air pollution?

Backup diesel generators and, increasingly, on-site gas turbines emit nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, particulates and volatile organic compounds, according to EPA emissions-factor guidance. Virginia DEQ is running an EPA-funded air monitoring project in Northern Virginia in response to resident concerns.

Can living near a data center make you sick?

There is no measurement-based finding that living near a typical data center causes illness. Research estimates a national public health burden from data center air pollution, and Virginia’s auditors found noise is rarely loud enough to violate ordinances but its constant nature has been a problem near some homes.

Is it safe to live near a data center?

It depends on the site. The main documented concerns are emissions from generators or on-site gas turbines, constant low-frequency noise and, rarely, battery fires. Virginia’s auditors found data center noise is not loud enough to damage hearing, and some counties require setbacks, such as Fairfax County’s 300 feet for generators near homes.

Do data centers emit radiation?

The electrical equipment around them, such as power lines and wiring, produces extremely-low-frequency electromagnetic fields. The National Cancer Institute classes these as non-ionizing and says they are not known to damage DNA or cells directly, unlike ionizing radiation such as x-rays and gamma rays.

Are the power lines near data centers dangerous?

WHO describes a consistent statistical pattern linking higher residential magnetic fields to childhood leukaemia but concluded the evidence is too weak to be considered causal, and says there is no evidence that low-level electromagnetic fields are harmful. The National Cancer Institute reports no consistent evidence of an association with cancer.

Sources

1. Data Centers in Virginia (Report 598)
   Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC), Virginia General Assembly · 2024-12
   4 source excerpts

   “in Northern Virginia, they make up less than 4 percent of regional emissions of nitrogen oxides”

   “Nearly all current data centers use 'Tier 2' diesel generators, which DEQ allows to run only in emergencies or as part of routine maintenance testing.”

   “Data centers emit low-frequency noise that is not loud enough to damage nearby residents' hearing and rarely loud enough to violate noise ordinances.”

   “The constant nature of data center noise has sometimes been a problem when data centers are located near residential areas.”

2. Air Pollution and the Public Health Costs of AI
   California Institute of Technology · 2024-12
   2 source excerpts

   “as many as 1,300 premature deaths per year by 2030 in the United States. Total public health costs from cancers, asthma, and other diseases, as well as from missed work and school days are approaching an estimated $20 billion per year.”

   “creating regional public health costs of some $190 million to $260 million a year. If these backup generators emit at their maximum permitted level, the annual costs will increase tenfold and reach $1.9 billion to $2.6 billion.”

3. IARC: Diesel Engine Exhaust Carcinogenic (Press Release No. 213)
   International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO) · 2012-06-12
   Source excerpt

   “today classified diesel engine exhaust as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1), based on sufficient evidence that exposure is associated with an increased risk for lung cancer.”

4. AP-42 Section 3.4: Large Stationary Diesel And All Stationary Dual-fuel Engines
   U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · 1996-10
   Source excerpt

   “The primary pollutants from internal combustion engines are oxides of nitrogen (NOx), hydrocarbons and other organic compounds, carbon monoxide (CO), and particulates, which include both visible (smoke) and nonvisible emissions.”

5. Fact Sheet: Final Amendments to Emission Standards (Stationary Engines)
   U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · 2013-01-14
   Source excerpt

   “Pollutants emitted from diesel engines are known or suspected of causing cancer and other serious health effects including: ... Aggravation of respiratory and cardiovascular disease ... Premature death in people with heart or lung disease”

6. Data Center Air Monitoring Project
   Virginia Department of Environmental Quality · 2026
   Source excerpt

   “DEQ is conducting a special data center air monitoring project through a grant from EPA in response to the rapid growth of data centers in Northern Virginia and citizen concerns for emissions from back up generators and/or natural gas fired turbines at those data centers.”

7. AP-42 Section 3.1: Stationary Gas Turbines
   U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · 2000-04
   Source excerpt

   “The primary pollutants from gas turbine engines are nitrogen oxides (NOX), carbon monoxide (CO), and to a lesser extent, volatile organic compounds (VOC).”

8. Health and Environmental Effects of Particulate Matter (PM)
   U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · 2026
   2 source excerpts

   “Numerous scientific studies have linked particle pollution exposure to a variety of problems, including: premature death in people with heart or lung disease ... nonfatal heart attacks ... irregular heartbeat ... aggravated asthma”

   “People with heart or lung diseases, children, older adults, minority populations, and low socioeconomic status populations are the most likely to be affected by particle pollution exposure.”

9. Basic Information about NO2
   U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · 2026
   Source excerpt

   “NO2 primarily gets in the air from the burning of fuel. ... Breathing air with a high concentration of NO2 can irritate airways in the human respiratory system.”

10. EPA Issues Clarification to Help Power Data Centers, Ensure U.S. Is the AI Capital of the World
    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · 2025-05-01
    Source excerpt

    “certain engines can operate for up to 50 hours per year in non-emergency conditions to supply power for our nation's grid”

11. Clean Air Act Resources for Data Centers
    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · 2026-09-14
    3 source excerpts

    “Therefore, any hours of engine operation pursuant to these emergency orders do not count toward the 50 hours that certain emergency engines are allowed to operate in non-emergency situations”

    “Stationary combustion turbines and stationary engines – common sources of primary and backup power for data centers – are subject to various new source performance standards (NSPS) for certain air emissions and national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants (NESHAP).”

    “State and local air agencies issue most air permits for data centers, under programs approved as meeting minimum requirements established by the CAA and EPA regulations.”

12. Virginia DEQ Revises Data Center Generator Rules as Community Pushback Builds
    Data Center Knowledge · 2026-05-19
    Source excerpt

    “DEQ has also considered the permit history and operating profile for data center gen-sets that now strongly indicate that gen-sets permitted as emergency units will be operated for extended periods under certain circumstances.”

13. Data Centers: Noise & Air Quality Concerns
    Loudoun County, Virginia · 2026
    2 source excerpts

    “On July 1, 2026, DEQ began mandating Tier 4-equivalent emissions standards for new or modified generators at data center sites.”

    “Noise complaints, which residents may submit online, are among the most persistent issues brought forward to Loudoun County officials and frequently pertain to tonal noise.”

14. Health-Informed Computing: Estimating and Addressing the Public Health Impact of Data Centers (arXiv:2412.06288v4)
    arXiv (Han, Wu, Li, Wierman, Ren) · 2026-06-08
    Source excerpt

    “the total annual public health burden of U.S. data centers up to more than $20 billion in 2028”

15. Health dept. grants permit for xAI turbines
    Action News 5 (WMC) · 2025-07-02
    Source excerpt

    “The health department's approval includes caps on the facility's 12-month rolling emission rates, which xAI is required to record and maintain monthly.”

16. NAACP, others appeal xAI turbine permits for Memphis data center
    Tennessee Lookout · 2025-07-17
    2 source excerpts

    “The NAACP and another group are challenging the Shelby County Health Department's decision to grant xAI an air permit for 15 gas turbines at its South Memphis data center, according to an appeal filed Wednesday.”

    “The groups allege that the campus had up to 35 gas turbines on site capable of generating more than 420 megawatts of electricity before it sought permits.”

17. Shelby Co. Air Pollution Control Board denies appeal over xAI’s turbine use, citing ‘mootness’
    Action News 5 (WMC) · 2025-12-15
    Source excerpt

    “They doubled down on those concerns in front of the Memphis and Shelby County Air Pollution Control Board, which dismissed the appeal on the grounds of "mootness." The decision came down after a seven-hour meeting.”

18. Memphis health leaders grant air permit for xAI data center
    Southern Environmental Law Center · 2025-07-02
    Source excerpt

    “Methane gas turbines release smog-forming pollution and harmful chemicals like formaldehyde. The pollutants are tied to asthma, respiratory illnesses, heart problems, and even certain types of cancer.”

19. New WHO noise guidelines for Europe released
    World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe · 2018-10-10
    Source excerpt

    “one of the top environmental hazards to both physical and mental health and well-being in the European Region”

20. Environmental noise guidelines for the European Region: executive summary
    World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe · 2018
    Source excerpt

    “transportation (road traffic, railway and aircraft) noise, wind turbine noise and leisure noise”

21. Clean Air Act Title IV - Noise Pollution
    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · 2026
    2 source excerpts

    “Studies have shown that there are direct links between noise and health. ... stress related illnesses, high blood pressure, speech interference, hearing loss, sleep disruption, and lost productivity.”

    “in 1981 the Administration concluded that noise issues were best handled at the State and local level. As a result, ONAC was closed and primary responsibility of addressing noise issues was transferred to State and local governments.”

22. Electromagnetic Fields and Cancer
    National Cancer Institute (NIH) · 2022-05-30
    3 source excerpts

    “Sources of ELF-EMFs include power lines, electrical wiring, and electrical appliances ... No consistent evidence for an association between any source of non-ionizing EMF and cancer has been found. ... The strength of a magnetic field decreases rapidly with increasing distance from its source.”

    “These EMFs are in the non-ionizing radiation part of the electromagnetic spectrum and are not known to damage DNA or cells directly.”

    “These EMFs are in the ionizing radiation part of the electromagnetic spectrum and can damage DNA or cells directly.”

23. Exposure to extremely low frequency fields (Backgrounder)
    World Health Organization · 2007-06
    2 source excerpts

    “a consistent pattern of a two-fold increase in childhood leukaemia associated with average exposure to residential power-frequency magnetic field above 0.3 to 0.4 µT”

    “Thus, on balance, the evidence related to childhood leukaemia is not strong enough to be considered causal.”

24. Radiation: Electromagnetic fields (Q&A)
    World Health Organization · 2016-08-04
    Source excerpt

    “Despite extensive research, to date there is no evidence to conclude that exposure to low level electromagnetic fields is harmful to human health.”

25. Board of Supervisors Approves New Data Center Zoning Ordinance Amendment
    Fairfax County Government News Center · 2024-09-10
    3 source excerpts

    “Pre- and post-construction noise studies must be submitted to ensure compliance with the Noise Ordinance.”

    “Data center buildings must be at least 200 feet from the lot line of an adjacent or abutting residential district or property.”

    “Equipment such as back-up generators must be 300 feet from the lot line of residential property or separated from the lot line of a residential district or residential property by the data center building.”

26. Battery blaze at state data center casts shadow over ESS push
    The Korea Herald · 2025-09-28
    Source excerpt

    “The blaze at the National Information Resources Service in Daejeon started when lithium-ion batteries caught fire in the facility's uninterruptible power supply system. ... It took 22 hours to fully extinguish the fire.”

27. South Korean data center fire sparks a stark reminder (Uptime Intelligence Update 429)
    Uptime Institute · 2025-11-04
    Source excerpt

    “One of the battery packs in the basement entered thermal runaway that resulted in an uncontrolled fire.”

Each source was opened and checked against the excerpt shown. Company statements are identified as such. Figures are as published; where sources differ, each is shown.