It has been proven that coal-fired power plants are the largest man-made source of sulfur dioxide. This is a pollutant gas that contributes to the production of acid rain, resulting in significant health problems, particularly through its role in forming particulates.
In China, the world's largest consumer of coal, approximately 22.5 million tons of sulfur are released annually, and over 30 per cent of the country now experiences acid rainfall. Acid rain is rain saturated with chemicals like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide, which causes acidification of lakes and streams and contributes to the damage of trees at high elevations and many sensitive forest soils. It also contributes significantly to many respiratory health problems, particularly amongst children and the elderly, two of Mandeville's largest population groups.
Having said that, there are a number of new technologies which can be installed in coal-fired power plants, which can ultimately lead to the reduction of air pollutants from coal-fired plants. However, even with these new technologies and the use of lower sulfur coal, there is still a wide variation of environmental impacts associated with power generation technologies.
The Government of Jamaica has stated its intentions to allow bauxite companies as well as the new logistics hub to utilise coal in power generation. Developed countries such as the USA and China, the two largest economies on Earth, continue to experience significant problems from the pollution emission loading from highly regulated coal-fired power plants.
When one looks at some of the health-related problems with this form of energy generation one can only shudders to think of the destructive forces which await the population of Manchester.
Areas at higher elevation will see an even greater impact from air pollution, and as such one can only expect that the residents of Mandeville are about to see an ever-increasing negative effect on their human and plant populations. Indeed, Mandeville in particular is now looking forward to a future at ground zero from air pollution.
The average emission rates in the US from coal-fired generation are: 2,249 lbs/MWh of carbon dioxide, 13 lbs/MWh of sulfur dioxide, and 6 lbs/MWh of nitrogen oxides. With these types of emissions coming from possibly two bauxite plants (ALPART at Nain and Jamalco in Clarendon), as well as the logistics hub, then this congregation of power plants, coupled with Mandeville's high elevation and relatively densely populated town, do not augur well for its citizens.
There is even some speculation that a third bauxite plant, Windalco at Kirkvine, may resort to using coal. This may well sound the end of Mandeville as we know it today.
There is still time to correct this path, and we plead with those who claim to represent the interests of all Jamaicans, both current and future generations, to halt this potential disaster which is about to befall the people of Mandeville and her environs.
To the good people of Mandeville, I say wake up and make your voices heard now.
Mark Handy
handy-mark@hotmail.com
Mandeville and environs ground zero for air pollution
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In China, the world's largest consumer of coal, approximately 22.5 million tons of sulfur are released annually, and over 30 per cent of the country now experiences acid rainfall. Acid rain is rain saturated with chemicals like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide, which causes acidification of lakes and streams and contributes to the damage of trees at high elevations and many sensitive forest soils. It also contributes significantly to many respiratory health problems, particularly amongst children and the elderly, two of Mandeville's largest population groups.
Having said that, there are a number of new technologies which can be installed in coal-fired power plants, which can ultimately lead to the reduction of air pollutants from coal-fired plants. However, even with these new technologies and the use of lower sulfur coal, there is still a wide variation of environmental impacts associated with power generation technologies.
The Government of Jamaica has stated its intentions to allow bauxite companies as well as the new logistics hub to utilise coal in power generation. Developed countries such as the USA and China, the two largest economies on Earth, continue to experience significant problems from the pollution emission loading from highly regulated coal-fired power plants.
When one looks at some of the health-related problems with this form of energy generation one can only shudders to think of the destructive forces which await the population of Manchester.
Areas at higher elevation will see an even greater impact from air pollution, and as such one can only expect that the residents of Mandeville are about to see an ever-increasing negative effect on their human and plant populations. Indeed, Mandeville in particular is now looking forward to a future at ground zero from air pollution.
The average emission rates in the US from coal-fired generation are: 2,249 lbs/MWh of carbon dioxide, 13 lbs/MWh of sulfur dioxide, and 6 lbs/MWh of nitrogen oxides. With these types of emissions coming from possibly two bauxite plants (ALPART at Nain and Jamalco in Clarendon), as well as the logistics hub, then this congregation of power plants, coupled with Mandeville's high elevation and relatively densely populated town, do not augur well for its citizens.
There is even some speculation that a third bauxite plant, Windalco at Kirkvine, may resort to using coal. This may well sound the end of Mandeville as we know it today.
There is still time to correct this path, and we plead with those who claim to represent the interests of all Jamaicans, both current and future generations, to halt this potential disaster which is about to befall the people of Mandeville and her environs.
To the good people of Mandeville, I say wake up and make your voices heard now.
Mark Handy
handy-mark@hotmail.com
Mandeville and environs ground zero for air pollution
-->