Pros And Cons Of Fossil Fuel Power Plants

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Fossil-fuel power plants are indeed proven effective when comes to generating power. But this should not be the only basis since the hazards of these plants should also be considered. Coal power plants produce a large amount of carbon emissions greatly contributing to the climate change and it pollutes the environment also in a form of acid rain (14 Far-Reaching Advantages and Disadvantages of Coal, 2015). Burning coal produces sulfur dioxide and nitrous oxide which are combined to create fine particulate matter. Fine particulate matter affects the lungs if inhaled causing unrepairable damage. Another harmful substance released into the air in the combustion of coal is mercury. It is a chemical that is toxic to the brain thereby affecting neural …show more content…

Construction of the tidal lagoon, starting from its walls, would involve using a dredger to transfer sand and gravel used for the foundation of the walls. Any type of dredger vessels could be used on site depending on which one would be more appropriate but these vessels produce different levels depending on the type used. One type would be the suction dredger and the gasoline engines used by suction dredge operators can produce approximately 60-70 decibels at maximum noise level and at close range but since this will operate far from the shore, people may hear less than 70 decibels so it would not be that much of a problem (Clearwater National Forest (N.F.): Environmental Impact Statement, 2006, p. 11). If a hopper dredge, which is another type of dredger, would be used in the site however, it might produce a noise level of approximately 90 decibels at a distance of 50 feet (Main Channel Deepening Feasibility Study, Port of Long Beach: Environmental Impact Statement, 1996, p. 3-73). Noise levels of 70 decibels could cause displeasure as that of a vacuum cleaner while 90 decibels could be dangerous depending on the duration of exposure (Comparative Examples of Noise Levels, 2016). Aside from the noise from the dredger vessels, there will also be noise from the pumping of geotubes since the sand collected by the dredger will be used to fill these geotextile fabrics. These geotubes will be piled on the seabed having spaces between them and will serve as the foundation of the