Coal has historically been a reasonably cheap fuel and is burnt to supply electricity worldwide, despite the ongoing debate about whether coal should continue to be used as part of the energy portfolio due to concerns about public health and climate change. Coal-burning power stations emit fine particulates (PM2.5) containing sulphur dioxide that are associated with higher mortality than other types of PM2.5. A new study led by George Mason University, The University of Texas at Austin, and Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health examined Medicare and emissions data in the US from 1999 to 2020 and found that 460,000 deaths were attributable to coal PM2.5 that occurred between 1999 and 2007, when coal PM2.5 levels were highest.
They discovered that in 1999, the average concentration of coal PM2.5 in the US was 2.34 micrograms per cubic meter of air (μg/m3). By 2020, this level has dropped dramatically to 0.07 μg/m3. The researchers determined that there was a 1.12% increase in all-cause mortality for every one μg/m3 rise in yearly average coal PM2.5, which was 2.1 times higher than the risk associated with PM2.5 from any other source.
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Additionally, they discovered that 4,60,000 deaths, or 25% of all PM2.5-related deaths among Medicare members prior to 2009, were linked to coal PM2.5. Additionally, by measuring the number of deaths linked to certain coal-fired power plants, the researchers were able to rank the coal-fired power plants they examined according to how much of the mortality load from coal PM2.5 they contributed to.
These findings can help policymakers and regulators identify cost-effective solutions for cleaning up the air by stepping up emissions controls mechanisms or encouraging renewable sources of energy like solar, wind and hydro power.
India is the world’s fifth-largest producer of power, with coal accounting for two thirds of this output. Nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide, particulate matter (PM), mercury, and a host of other chemicals which are harmful to human health are released during coal combustion. Each year, coal-based air pollution results in approximately 1,00,000 premature deaths or illnesses. The Union environment ministry had specified the emission norms for coal-based power plants in December 2015. Just 5% of India’s coal-fired power stations have flue gas de-sulfurization (FGD) systems installed; these systems are devices that manage air pollution by reducing sulphur dioxide emissions.
The land-locked Delhi woes of poor air quality at ‘severe’ level is a result of 65-70% pollutants from heavy industry and coal-fired power plants while 25-30% particulates come from stubble burning in the neighbouring States of Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.
India has virtually doubled its consumption of coal over the past 10 years in order to keep up with its rising economy. Moreover, the government has declared intentions to increase the number of coal-fired power plants and mining activities rather than reduce their usage. Although the Modi administration has promised to increase the share of renewable energy sources and make solar power equal to coal by 2030, India remains significantly depends on expensive foreign technologies to achieve this target.
