Web Search powered by YAHOO! SEARCH
                
News - News Reports - DHEC Under Fire

Tuesday, Dec. 02, 2008

Glossary of dangerous pollutants emitted by coal-fired power plants

Bookmark and Share
email this story to a friend E-Mail print story Print Reprint 0 comments
Text Size:

tool name

close
tool goes here

The most common dangerous pollutants emitted by coal-fired power plants are:

Mercury — A deadly poison. Even tiny amounts, undiluted, can kill.

CO2 — Carbon dioxide. A major heat-trapping greenhouse gas blamed for climate change.

Video from around the world

NO2 — Nitrogen dioxide. A greenhouse gas. Contributes to smog, acid rain and water pollution. Causes breathing problems.

PPM — Particulate matter. Tiny particles that trigger lung and heart problems.

SO2 — Sulfur dioxide. Helps form acid rain, water pollution. Damages crops, animals. Causes lung problems.

MW stands for megawatts. Power plants traditionally measure electric output in megawatts. One megawatt can power up to a half-million homes and perhaps several hundred businesses, depending on their size.

Get The State newspaper delivered to your home. Click here to subscribe.

Your comments

We encourage an open – and civil – exchange of affirming and dissenting opinions on our stories. We invite you to respectfully comment on our content as part of our interactive community.

The news you want delivered to your e-mail!

Quick Job Search