Also discussed here: Air pollution: Europe's avoidable health risk(1 page pdf, Lancet, Mar. 16, 2013)
Today we review a report that calls for an end to coal powered plants in the EU by 2040, although the same reasons for doing so apply elsewhere, particularly in the United States, because of the impact of coal power emissions not only on human health, but also on the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from carbon sources as soon as possible to mitigate climate change. Over 18,000 premature deaths/year in the EU can be linked to coal emissions which make up 20% of the GHG emissions for Europe. Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology, touted as the vanguard of “clean coal”, is found to have even more emissions of NO2 with lower SO2.
Key Quotes:
“18 200 premature deaths per year and up to €42·8 billion in health-related costs are attributable to coal power generation…They emit PM, but also toxic heavy metals, such as mercury.”
“one Terawatt hour (TWh) of electricity produced from hard coal implies on average 24.5 air pollution related deaths. Lignite combustion was associated with an even higher number of 32.6 premature deaths per TWh.”
“The new generation “high efficiency” coal plants have a maximum 46% efficiency for hard coal and 43% for lignite. In other words, more than half the coal burnt in a “high efficiency” coal plant is not converted to useful electricity."
“A large body of evidence exists for short-term and long-term effects on cardiovascular diseases and respiratory diseases—including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, and lung cancer. Newly emerging evidence suggests possible effects on premature births, lung-function development in children, and accelerated progression of atherosclerosis and cognitive impairment”
“Children are particularly susceptible to air pollutants, because they breathe more air in relation to their body weight and spend more time outside but also due to the immaturity of their immune and enzyme systems and their airways still being in the growth process. “
“CCS [Carbon Capture and Storage]cannot make coal carbon neutral, nor will it make the exhaust fumes free of hazardous air pollutants. The technology carries a number of important further health risks and to date remains an empty promise..Through direct and indirect effects CCS would also impact the rate of emissions of hazardous air pollutants: NOx emissions from a CCS coal power plant would be higher, while SO2 emissions would decrease” “The report calls for phasing out of coal power in Europe by 2040 and for an immediate moratorium on the construction of new plants.”
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