Seen those ads lately on the tube about the wonders of coal? They don't mention this part.
Mercury pollution from coal-fired power plants is increasing nationwide, even as the Bush administration touts an overall decline in toxic chemicals that industry has released into the environment.
Though total mercury emissions decreased less than 2 percent from 2003 to 2004, the amount blown into the air by power plants increased 4 percent, a Tribune analysis of newly released federal data shows.
Coal plants in 28 states, including Illinois, put more mercury into the air during 2004 than the year before, offsetting lower amounts of the hazardous metal from plants elsewhere.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/custom/newsroom/chi-060428mercury,1,2060670.story
Posted by Dave at April 30, 2006 08:47 AM