Does Coal Cause Pollution?
In a word, yes. Coal accounted for 39% of all carbon dioxide emissions in 2004 (this behind oil) but it is expected to pass oil for the highest levels of carbon dioxide emissions in 2010, according to the EIA. Tellingly, if residents in the US were to replace every incandescent light bulb in the country with compact fluorescents, the benefits would be eradicated by the carbon dioxide from only two coal-fired plants over the period of a year. Other pollutants that can be attributed to the burning of coal can include nitrogen compounds, sulphur, aluminium, and silicon. Environmental and health related problems include acid rain, polluted water systems, stripped forests, and mining hazards.
