THE HEALTH RISKS OF “CLEAN” COAL

Health and Safety Risks of Carbon Capture and Storage
John Fogarty, MD, and Michael McCally, MD, January 6, 2010, (Journal of the American Medical Association)

"Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a technology being developed in an attempt to slow global warming. In theory, CCS would prevent carbon dioxide produced from coal-fired power plants from reaching the atmosphere by capturing and storing it permanently underground. The scale of this proposal is remarkable, requiring the capture of tens of billions of tons of carbon dioxide from thousands of coal and gas power plants throughout the world…

"…[T]he use of the technology to permanently store carbon dioxide is still in a demonstration phase…[and] may receive billions of dollars of taxpayer support in pending energy legislation…[but] important and unanswered questions remain…What risks to human health and safety are involved? How will CCS projects affect water quality in aquifers? Can CCS at scale really work and can carbon dioxide storage be made permanent? The risks are substantial and to our knowledge have not been considered in the promotion of CCS technology…"

The first good question. (click to enlarge)

"Carbon dioxide is the most significant of the greenhouse gases…and more than one-third…in the United States comes from coal-fired power plants. Consequently, many earth scientists and lawmakers have called for a ban on new coal plants unless carbon dioxide is captured and contained. The coal industry consequently has launched a media campaign promoting “clean coal” …Carbon capture and storage would involve collecting carbon dioxide emissions from coal plants and transfering them as high-pressure liquid carbon dioxide to underground geologic formations…The scope of the project is huge…The International Energy Agency estimates that for CCS to have a significant effect in slowing global warming, there must be 6000 CCS projects each storing a million tons of carbon dioxide per year in operation by the year 2050…

"The potential health risks of CCS include asphyxiation of humans and animals, compromise of safe drinking water supplies, in addition to the well-known cardiorespiratory disease and mortality consequences of continued coal combustion. High concentrations of carbon dioxide interfere with cellular metabolism and are lethal to humans and animals. Under normal circumstances, carbon dioxide is a trace gas composing less than 0.04% of gases in ambient air. Concentrations of carbon dioxide of more than 7% to 10% pose an immediate threat to human life. Elevated partial pressures of carbon dioxide in the blood cause carbon dioxide narcosis with delirium, somnolence, and coma…"

And then there's this. (click to enlarge)

"…A large inadvertent release of carbon dioxide (as must be considered in a nationwide, full-scale CCS program) would pose significant risks for asphyxiation to humans and animals in surrounding areas…Carbon capture and storage researchers have raised concerns about the ability of geologic formations to hold large amounts of carbon dioxide and acknowledge the possibility of unintentional releases. Acidification effects of carbon dioxide as well as cracks, faults, natural springs, and old wells could allow dangerous amounts of carbon dioxide to escape…The geologic security or permanence of underground carbon dioxide storage over time also has not been well studied. Geologists have raised concerns for possible leakage…

"…[A]cidification can dramatically alter water quality by increasing the leaching of contaminants such as arsenic, lead, mercury…organic compounds…[and] other pollutants…The widespread use of geologic formations as storage for carbon dioxide could compromise not-currently-used aquifers on which future generations may depend for drinking water…Because of its scope, complexity, intrinsic risks, and cost, it is unclear whether CCS can be implemented in time to contribute to the immediate need for greenhouse gas reduction…The medical community ought to support actively noncombustion, clean energy policies as a matter of public health…Before new coal-fired power plants are approved, the National Academy of Sciences/Institute of Medicine and the Congressional Research Service should conduct careful scientific review of thefeasibility, cost, and public safety of commercial scale implementation of CCS…"