Coal costs health €43 billion a year

Photo: cori kindred/flickr.com/CC BY-SA

A phase-out of coal power generation is imperative, with a moratorium on new coal power plants as a first step.

Health damage due to air pollution from coal-fired power stations adds a financial burden to the EU population of up to €42.8 billion a year, according to a new study published by the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL).

The report, entitled “The unpaid health bill: How coal power plants make us sick”, provides scientific evidence on the health impacts of air pollution from coal-fired power generation and calculations of the effects on chronic lung disease and some heart conditions.

It is estimated that the impacts in the EU amount to more than 18,200 premature deaths, or 196,200 life years lost, about 8,500 new cases of chronic bronchitis, and over four million lost working days each year. Adding emissions from coal power plants in Croatia, Serbia and Turkey, the figures for mortality would increase to 23,300 premature deaths, or 250,600 life years lost, while the total costs are up to €54.7 billion annually.

Together, coal power plants in three countries – Poland, Romania and Germany – are responsible for more than half of the total health impacts. Substantial impacts are further attributed to coal combustion in Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Greece, Serbia, Turkey and the United Kingdom (see Table).

Table: Annual health costs associated with air pollution from coal-fired power generation per country. Based on 2009 emission data.

Coal power generation in Poland is associated with the highest health impacts as well as health costs, estimated at over €8 billion per year. Romania and Germany both rank second, with more than €6 billion in health costs each. The evaluation is based on a calculation of the costs associated with premature deaths resulting from exposure to coal-related air pollution, medical visits, hospitalisations, medication and reduced activity, including working days lost.

“The findings are particularly worrying given that the use of coal is now rising after years of decline. The startlingly high costs to human health should trigger a major rethink on EU energy policy,” says Genon Jensen, Executive Director at HEAL.

The report launch marks the beginning of a coal and health campaign in which HEAL will work closely with medical, health and climate advocacy groups, especially in countries where coal is a particular threat to health.

On top of the benefits to health from cleaner air, the report also highlights how stronger regulation of coal would help mitigate climate change. Coal is the most carbon-intensive energy source in Europe – responsible for approximately 20 per cent of carbon emissions. Controlling long-term temperature rises and avoiding heat waves are particularly important for vulnerable groups, such as young children and older people and anyone with an existing respiratory or heart condition.

Member of the European Parliament and medical doctor Peter Liese recognises coal as both an immediate and a long-term threat to public health because of its contribution to climate change: “The EU has committed to protect public health from air pollution as well as from climate change impacts. As the use of coal in Europe is currently increasing, there is a significant threat to people’s health in the short and long term.”

HEAL’s report recommends that no new coal plants should be built and that Europe should abandon coal by 2040 for better public health (see Box with policy recommendations). The huge public health benefits that arise from decreasing the burning of fossil fuels such as coal can substantially mitigate costs of greenhouse gas reductions. Putting it the other way around, mitigating climate change saves enormous costs in air pollution control.

“If accepted, this approach would avoid the unnecessary respiratory and heart problems associated with exposure to coal pollutants in the air. It would offer longer-term health benefits by mitigating climate change. Opting for alternatives to coal would also put right a current injustice in which Europeans are made to shoulder the burden of an unpaid health bill caused by coal,” said Ms Jensen.

Christer Ågren

Source: HEAL press release 7 March 2013. Link to report on website www.env-health.org.

HEAL’s policy recommendations

To the EU

The phasing out of coal power in Europe is possible by 2040 and constitutes an important step to improve air quality, reduce chronic disease and cut greenhouse gas emissions at the same time. The EU should:

Ensure that the costs and benefits to health are taken into account in any energy and climate policy assessments and decisions.
Strengthen the Industrial Emission Directive, which regulates air pollution from coal power plants, by removing all exemptions for existing plants.
Adopt stricter emission limit values, comparable to recent Chinese and USA standards, for the whole of the EU by 2020 and introduce binding mercury emission limit values.
Make sure that Croatia as an EU accession country is required to meet EU pollution control standards for coal power plants without any derogation by 2018, and encourage EU candidate countries to do likewise.

Support a termination of all EU lending, including by EU financial institutions, to coal plants, coal mining and infrastructure projects that would contribute to an increase in coal capacity. Similarly, support an ending of EU subsidies for Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technologies.

To national authorities

National authorities have to take the gloves off and reduce outdoor air pollution from coal power plants. In the interest of their citizens’ health as well as their neighbouring countries, national authorities should:

Introduce a moratorium on the construction of new coal power plants.
Develop a national phase-out plan for coal in power generation.
End all exemptions from the highest pollution control standards for existing coal plants.
End all direct and indirect subsidies and tax exemptions for hard coal and lignite mining as well as coal power generation by 2018, when direct hard coal mining subsidies are already required to end.

In this issue

Finding the ambition level

A tentative central ambition level for 2025 has been identified that would further reduce air pollution damage, but it is still insufficient to achieve the EU’s long-term objective of effectively protecting peoples’ health and the environment.

Editorial: Public money for public environmental goods

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Significant cuts in carbon emissions within reach

The CO₂ emissions of the Nordic and Baltic countries can be cut by 70 per cent by 2020 or soon after, and by 95 per cent by 2030, without nuclear power and CCS, shows a new AirClim report.

Call for international nitrogen framework

A global framework on nutrients could be a way forward to address the extensive problems of pollution caused by excess nitrogen and other nutrients, suggests a recent UNEP report.

Coal pollution kills Indians

Air pollution from India’s coal power plants causes around 100,000 premature deaths every year – yet there are no national emission standards for key pollutants such as SO₂ and NOx.

Eight countries continue to exceed their emission ceilings

Car fleet dieselisation combined with high real-life driving emissions contribute to seven countries still failing to meet NOx reduction targets.

Stricter US standards for road vehicles proposed

The proposed Tier 3 standards should reduce emissions of smog-forming volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides by 80 per cent and particulate matter by 70 per cent, compared to today’s car fleet average standards.

Every breath we take – air quality in Europe

In the 2013 edition of their Signals report, the European Environment Agency (EEA) takes a closer look at air quality. “Signals 2013 – Every breath we take” consists of short and accessible articles covering a wide range of aspects related to air quality.

Call for long-term CO2 targets

The European Parliament Environment Committee has proposed a 120kph speed limit for vans from 2014 and 2025 CO₂ targets for both cars and vans.

Shipping should cut greenhouse gases and air pollutants

Due to its dependence on fossil fuels and the fact that it is one of the least regulated emission sources, emissions from the marine transport sector contribute significantly and increasingly to air pollution and climate change.

Stricter air pollution rules for machinery on the way

Emission standards for the non-road sector should be extended and strengthened in line with the Euro VI standards for road vehicles, environmental groups demand.