In Poland, coal accounts for over 90 per cent of energy production and 75 per cent of gross inland consumption, as well as being the country's main export. The abundance of domestic coal reserves and years of subsidised pricing have led to widespread inefficiency, in both the coal sector and the energy sector in general. Before the recent political changes, other sources of energy were virtually ignored. As a result of energy policies which neglected environmental concerns, coal mining became a major polluter, with serious health consequences for the communities living and working in the mining regions. The environmental effects of this high level of mining include air emissions, liquid effluents and solid wastes. The global air emissions caused by mining are not significant in comparison with those produced during combustion, but include significant local impacts such as dust originating from drilling and blasting, and methane emissions (estimated at an average rate of 5 cubic metres per tonne of coal mined). The main environmental problem resulting from mining is acid waters from mine drainage. The continuous acid discharges from Polish mines seriously affected aquatic ecosystems, since acid waters containing heavy concentrations of dissolved heavy metals will support only limited water flora, and will not sustain fish. Acid waters are not suitable for human consumption and are too corrosive for most industrial uses. The Polish government has set medium-term goals for the next eight to ten years, aiming to cut dust and acid water from mines, to repair physical damage caused by mining, to restore mined lands, and to consume the methane cleared from mines (in addition to cutting emissions of SO2 and NOx from coal combustion). Sources: Financial Times, 1993; World Bank, 1991
The environmental effects of this high level of mining include air emissions, liquid effluents and solid wastes. The global air emissions caused by mining are not significant in comparison with those produced during combustion, but include significant local impacts such as dust originating from drilling and blasting, and methane emissions (estimated at an average rate of 5 cubic metres per tonne of coal mined). The main environmental problem resulting from mining is acid waters from mine drainage. The continuous acid discharges from Polish mines seriously affected aquatic ecosystems, since acid waters containing heavy concentrations of dissolved heavy metals will support only limited water flora, and will not sustain fish. Acid waters are not suitable for human consumption and are too corrosive for most industrial uses. The Polish government has set medium-term goals for the next eight to ten years, aiming to cut dust and acid water from mines, to repair physical damage caused by mining, to restore mined lands, and to consume the methane cleared from mines (in addition to cutting emissions of SO2 and NOx from coal combustion). Sources: Financial Times, 1993; World Bank, 1991
The main environmental problem resulting from mining is acid waters from mine drainage. The continuous acid discharges from Polish mines seriously affected aquatic ecosystems, since acid waters containing heavy concentrations of dissolved heavy metals will support only limited water flora, and will not sustain fish. Acid waters are not suitable for human consumption and are too corrosive for most industrial uses. The Polish government has set medium-term goals for the next eight to ten years, aiming to cut dust and acid water from mines, to repair physical damage caused by mining, to restore mined lands, and to consume the methane cleared from mines (in addition to cutting emissions of SO2 and NOx from coal combustion). Sources: Financial Times, 1993; World Bank, 1991
The Polish government has set medium-term goals for the next eight to ten years, aiming to cut dust and acid water from mines, to repair physical damage caused by mining, to restore mined lands, and to consume the methane cleared from mines (in addition to cutting emissions of SO2 and NOx from coal combustion). Sources: Financial Times, 1993; World Bank, 1991
Sources: Financial Times, 1993; World Bank, 1991