Mercury and its connection to coal burning power plants has been in the news lately and since it is our policy to keep our members informed on issues that impact the electric industry and their power bills, this article will attempt to partially address the “mercury” issue.

Since mercury is a basic element, it cannot be created or destroyed; therefore all the mercury that exists today has been around since the Earth was created; however processes such as mining, manufacturing and energy production have increased the amount of mercury in our air, water and soil.

When looking at the various sources of global atmospheric mercury emissions, some 39% is the result of natural sources including oceans and volcanoes.  Another 16% is from other natural sources such as biomass burning, and 42% is generated outside of the United States by various human activities, including power production, manufacturing, and mining.  The United States economy contributes 3% to the world’s overall mix, with 2% coming from non-power plant sources and the remaining 1% attributed to domestic coal burning power plants 

When mercury is deposited into water, bacteria in the water can cause a chemical change turning the mercury into methyl-mercury which is toxic.  This substance can work its way through the food chain and end up contaminating fish.  When we eat contaminated fish, we take the substance into our system also. 

But since our adult bodies can naturally eliminate mercury, scientists believe that occasional exposure to relatively small amounts have no negative affect on our health.  However, some scientists are convinced that mercury poses a serious health threat to children, infants and fetuses, and could be a potential cause of learning and other functional disabilities.

In 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a proposed rule which would reduce mercury emissions from coal-burning power plants by as much as 70%.  Although, at this time, there are no currently proven technologies to reduce mercury emissions from coal-based power plants, initial indications are that some controls originally designed to reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrous oxide might be effective, and a number of cooperatives are working with the federal government and others in the utility industry to find effective ways to meet the proposed mercury emissions target.

Because of the 1990 Clean Air Act most Illinois power plants switched to Western coal a few years ago; a move which significantly (28%) increased the amount of mercury emitted, particularly in the Midwest and East.

Ironically, some current proposals are calling for a lower mercury emission standard for  Western Coal than for our locally produced coal.  Obliviously, there’s something wrong with that picture.  Our state lost some 14,000 jobs as the result of the 1990 Clean Air Act and to give Western coal an advantage over our own product is simply unacceptable from  both a health and economic viewpoint.