- Last Update 2026-04-18 12:28:00
Health fears as substandard coal doubles fly ash, Mercury levels
Amidst environmentalists raising concerns this week that recent substandard coal consignments may contain high levels of mercury, thereby posing a health risk to Norochcholai residents, an energy analyst has calculated that the amount of mercury generally released to the environment due to coal combustion is between 600 and 650kg per year.
Reports point to mercury values of 0.27mg per kilogramme of coal. “Since we are using 2.2 to 2.5mn MT of coal for a year, this comes to 600-650kg of mercury per annum,” said Vidhura Ralapanawe, who has analysed the data.
Mercury is a liquid at room temperature, and becomes a vapour even at moderate temperatures, he said. So, it becomes a vapour at combustion and is therefore not captured with ash in the ash filters (electrostatic precipitators or ESPs).
Read more in today's edition of the Sunday Times here
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