The Hidden Environmental Health Costs of Data Centers
As a medical student, I have spent much of my training learning how environmental conditions can influence human health. The air we breathe, the water we drink, and the communities where we live all shape health outcomes, often in ways that are not immediately visible. As society rapidly expands its use of artificial intelligence and other computational technologies, it is important to consider not only the benefits these technologies provide, but also the potential environmental health consequences associated with the infrastructure required to support them.
For many people, data centers remain unfamiliar despite their increasing role in modern life. Data centers are facilities that house computer servers and networking equipment used to store, process, and transmit digital information. They support many technologies that have become central to society, including cloud computing, online communication, financial services, and artificial intelligence (AI). However, as demand for AI and other data aggregation and computational services accelerates, the rapid expansion of large-scale (also known as “hyperscale”) data centers has raised growing environmental health concerns. For communities located near these facilities, the consequences extend beyond energy consumption and carbon emissions to include air quality, water resources, and local environmental conditions that can directly affect human health.
One of the most immediate environmental health concerns associated with data centers is air pollution. Hyperscale data centers are generally equipped with backup diesel generators that can emit significant amounts of air pollution during testing and use, and they require large amounts electricity to operate, with many hyperscale facilities requiring electricity comparable to that used by 100,000 households or more. Furthermore, fossil-fuel based electricity generation produces hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) such as fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). Exposure to these pollutants is associated with adverse health outcomes, including respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, and premature mortality. Recent research has highlighted that the public health burden associated with data centers may be significant because emissions from electricity generation and backup diesel generators contribute to air pollution exposure in surrounding communities and regions.¹˒²
Data centers commonly maintain large diesel generators to provide emergency electricity during grid disruptions, but without adequate regulations, they are also tested frequently and are sometimes used when demand for power becomes especially high. Because the associated emissions have the greatest impact in close proximity to the source, communities near data centers experience localized exposure that cannot be addressed simply by reducing emissions overall.¹
Beyond local and regional air quality, the electricity demands of data centers also contribute to broader climate impacts. Servers operate continuously and generate substantial heat, requiring energy-intensive computing and cooling systems. As electricity demand increases, the associated greenhouse gas emissions depend on the energy sources supplying the electrical grid. Facilities located in regions where electricity generation relies heavily on fossil fuels may have larger carbon footprints than those powered by lower-carbon energy sources. Climate impacts also create public health risks, as climate change contributes to increased risks from extreme heat, wildfire smoke, infectious diseases, and other environmental hazards.¹˒³
Water use is another important environmental health consideration. Many data centers rely on water-based cooling systems to remove heat generated by computing equipment. Growing data center demand may place additional pressure on local water supplies, particularly in regions already experiencing water scarcity. In addition to quantity concerns, increased demands on water infrastructure may affect communities’ ability to maintain reliable access to clean water. Researchers have highlighted that the water requirements of data centers can be concentrated in the communities where facilities are located, making local planning and resource management important considerations.¹˒⁴
The environmental impacts of data centers also extend to land use and community conditions. Large facilities require significant amounts of land, electrical infrastructure, and supporting development. In some regions, rapid data center expansion has raised concerns about increased housing costs, competition for land, and changes to local communities. Construction and operation may also contribute to noise pollution, light pollution, and reduced availability of green spaces, all of which can influence quality of life and environmental health. These impacts may disproportionately affect communities with fewer resources to advocate for environmental protections.²
The environmental footprint of data centers is not identical across all facilities. Improvements in server efficiency, cooling technologies, renewable energy integration, and facility management can reduce some environmental impacts. However, evaluating data centers solely through measures such as computing efficiency or energy consumption may overlook broader public health consequences, including air pollution exposure and unequal distribution of environmental burdens. Recent work has proposed a “health-informed computing” approach that incorporates public health impacts into decisions about how and where computing resources are developed and operated.²
As artificial intelligence continues to expand, data centers will likely become an increasingly important part of society’s infrastructure. The goal should not be to prevent technological progress, but to ensure that innovation meets environmental health standards. Communities, policymakers, and industry leaders should consider the health consequences of data center development, including air quality, water use, and local environmental impacts, when making decisions about future infrastructure. Incorporating health considerations into planning and regulation can help ensure that technological advancement does not come at the expense of community livability.
References
Han Y, Wu Z, Li P, Wierman A, Ren S. Health-Informed Computing: Estimating and Addressing the Public Health Impact of Data Centers. arXiv:2412.06288, 2024.
Ren S, Wierman A. Mitigating the Public Health Impacts of AI Data Centers. Harvard Business Review, 2025.
Siddik MAB, Shehabi A, Marston L. The environmental footprint of data centers in the United States. Environmental Research Letters. 2021;16(6):064017.
Han Y, Li P, Wierman A, Ren S. Small Bottle, Big Pipe: Quantifying and Addressing the Impact of Data Centers on Public Water Systems. arXiv:2603.02705, 2026.