Let's Explore Coal!

The Environment

In previous years, burning coal produced a lot of carbon dioxide and sulfur emissions that polluted the air. By removing the sulfur and other impurities from coal, it burns cleaner and is better for our environment.

Today, mining companies look for low-sulfur coal to mine.

Power plants that use coal now have equipment installed called scrubbers that remove most of the sulfur from the smoke that is produced by burning coal so it does not get into the air.

The ash that is left over from the burnt coal is also recycled. In earlier years the ash was used for landfills, now it is being used to make materials to build roads and cement products. Today the ash is also being used to make ocean reefs for marine animal habitats.

Because we have such a large supply of coal here in the United States, researchers are busy working on ways of removing even more carbon dioxide and sulfur from the emissions. This will make getting energy from coal even cleaner for our environment.