HC Deb 29 June 1998 vol 315 c93W
Mrs. Brinton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will estimate the amount of(a) CO2, (b) SO2, (c) NORx, (d) fine particulates, (e) black smoke and (f) radiation emitted as a result of the burning of 25 mt. coal per annum in power stations. [47608]

Angela Eagle

The Environment Agency has advised that the quantity of pollutants emitted from burning 25 million tonnes of coal are estimated to be as follows:

  1. (a) Carbon dioxide: the quantity of CO2 released will be dependent on the ash content of the coal but is likely to be approximately 55 million tonnes per annum.
  2. (b) Sulphur dioxide: the quantity of SO2 released will depend on the sulphur content of the coal utilised, the relative proportions of coal burnt at power stations fitted with Flue-Gas Desulphurisation units compared with unabated stations and the extent to which other abatement techniques are introduced. Depending on these factors the quantity of SO2 released is likely to be between 340 kilotonnes and 510 kilotonnes per annum.
  3. (c) Oxides of nitrogen: following completion of the current improvement programme to reduce emissions, releases of nitrogen oxides from coal fired power stations are likely to be approximately 160 kilotonnes per annum.
  4. (d) Fine Particulates: the quantity of particulates released will depend to some extent on the quality of coal burnt, the relative proportions of coal burnt at power stations fitted with Flue-Gas Desulphurisation units compared with unabated stations and the extent to which plants are able to reduce emissions as a result of the ongoing improvement programme. Based on current performance, the quantity released is likely to be approximately 14 kilotonnes per annum.
  5. (e) Black smoke: the term black smoke refers to the extent to which a sample of air is able to blacken a filter. The quantity released will depend on similar factors to those affecting the release of particulates and is estimated very approximately to be 6.25 kilotonnes per annum.
  6. (f) Radiation: the amount of radiation released, depending on the ash content of the coal and flue gas clean-up measures, is estimated very approximately to be 0.5 Tera-becquerels (TBq) per annum.