Investigation into Coal Ash in China

By Joel ScanlonSep 16 2010

In a direct consequence of its growing economic activities China is producing a whole lot of toxic coal ash from its coal fired energy plants.

Greenpeace mentioned that the country produces enough of this toxic coal ash to fill up an Olympic sized swimming pool every 2 and half minutes.

China has over 1,400 coal fired electrical plants in operation which produce coal ash to the tune of 375 million tonnes per year. This is more than double the quantity that it produced in 2002. Currently 70% of the country's energy needs are met through these coal burning plants.

Yang Ailun, head climate campaigner of Greenpeace made the announcements at a press conference in Wednesday. Yang Ailun was releasing a report called "The True Cost of Coal - An Investigation into Coal Ash in China". The contaminants that are released in the environment include harmful substances such as heavy metals and chemical compounds.

There are obvious ill effects of this being felt by the rural population. The problem is aggravated by the poor safeguards and standards at the coal ash disposal sites. The contaminants are easily dispersed into the wind or leak into the water.