I keep seeing this to which I respond "how many people have coal fired power plants in their house?" Nobody I know.
My power comes from hydroelectric so this doesn't apply to me.
We had a coal furnace when I was a girl - my parents lived into their 90s, and all five of us children are healty well into our 50s and 60s. Apparently, if you don't know your home coal furnace is producing tons of mercury, it doesn't hurt you.