What emissions and byproducts are produced from burning coal?
The combustion of coal produces several types of emissions that adversely affect the environment. The five principal emissions associated with coal consumption in the energy sector are: • Sulfur dioxide (SO2), which has been linked to acid rain and increased incidence of respiratory illnesses • Nitrogen oxides (NOx), which have been linked to the formation of acid rain and photochemical smog and to depletion of the Earth s ozone layer • Particulates, which have been linked to the formation of acid rain and increased incidence of respiratory illnesses • Carbon dioxide (CO2), which is the primary greenhouse gas emission from energy use. • Mercury, which has been linked with both neurological and developmental damage in humans and other animals. Mercury concentrations in the air usually are low and of little direct concern. However, when mercury enters water either directly or through deposition from the air biological processes transform it into methylmercury, a highly toxic chemical tha
