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The Pros And Cons Of Coal

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Did you know that coal was formed 300 million years ago when the world was first being formed? It is considered a non- renewable energy source due to taking one million years to form. Coal may take this long to form, but there is so much of it and costs very little to purchase, so it is one of the largest resources used in the world. There are 27 United States that still mine for coal to this day. The value of coal produced in the United States every year is estimated to be around $20 billion and will continue to be one of the largest economies in this country for a while. Some of the main uses of coal are for electricity and various productions like steel. (Interesting Facts about Coal) Coal is a very important commodity in this world mainly for the electricity production. Coal power …show more content…

Noise pollution will always occur when at the site of mining operation due to the machinery used to move loads of coal. Local natives usually don’t approve of the dust that is kicked up and noises caused during the transportation of the materials. Trains are the main way that this material is moved around the country, and when shipped on boats, the coal could possible leak into oceans or lakes. This would have the same effects of the previously discussed water pollution issues. With the utilization of coal comes some more air pollution environmental impacts. If there is fly ash that mixes with the atmosphere, acid rain can happen due to the large amount of sulfuric acid mixing with surrounding water and air. Bio accumulation where the heavy metals like mercury are passed from smaller organisms all the way up to humans, which can cause various health issues. Now with all of these negative impacts on the environment from the production and consumption of coal, we are pressured to find alternative energy sources to reduce these

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