dying to work: the human cost of coal

7/29/2019 Dying to Work: The Human Cost of Coal.

1/18


2/18

BROWN COAL IS PARTICULARLY

UNSTABLE AND HIGH RISK

In 2007 the Yallourn Coal mine, the major source of electricity supply, collapsed and although repairs

were made, according to the Department of Primary Industries [DPI] it was likely to collapse again. The

Victorian Department of Primary Industries investigated the Yallourn Coal Mine collapse and issued a

Regulatory Impact Statementwith a view to amending the Mineral Resources Regulations to account for

the increased risks. In the statement the DPI wrote

It is difficult to explicitly mandate safety outcomes to be achieved by regulationThe benefit society

receives from the practice of mining is inseparable from the risks it createsBrown coal in particular

creates high risksCollapse of land on which public infrastructure [i.e. road bridges, railway] exists

resulting in deaths and injuries.

IN 2012 THE MINE COLLAPSED AGAIN, THANKFULLY WITH NO LOSS OF LIFE.

Department of Primary Industries Victoria. 2010 Regulatory Impact Statementamending the Mineral ResourcesRegulations 2010 p32,


3/18

The DPI gave Lake Concordia at Nachterstedt, Germany as itsexample of a coal related collapse. On the 18th July 2009, at LakeConcordia, three people were killed when several houses slid into a

man made lake that was on the site of a former brown coal mine.Approximately a 350 metre stretch of shoreline and approximatelyone million cubic tonnes of soil collapsed. Further failures wereexpected to occur and residents were evacuated.

__________________________________________________________

In February 2011 deep holes appeared in Morwells PrincessFreeway, which runs close to the Yallourn mine, this resulted inauthorities closing a large section of road for approximately threemonths. The problem was attributed to water.

In July 2012 a sinkhole had to be filled temporarily along theV/Line rail track until extensive work could be carried out tostabilise the area.

Department of Primary Industries Victoria. 2010 Regulatory Impact Statementamending the Mineral Resources Regulations 2010 p32,

Princess Freeway Morwell Bypass Closure www.vicroads.vic.gov.au
http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/


4/18

Coal seams generally correspond with fault

lines.

Australia is not as geologically stable as many think.

Despite popular belief, Australia is a geologically

active continent with moving fault-lines, regularseismic activity, and a long history of mountain

making, said internationally respected geologist,

Associate Professor Malcolm Wallace from theSchool of Earth Sciences at the University of

Melbourne.Coober Pedy Regional Times Sept. 26th 2008.


5/18


6/18

Seismic Data and current well distribution

[ASP] Australian School of Petroleum 2009.


7/18


8/18

MORE COAL: WHAT DOES THIS MEAN

FOR COMMUNITIES?

The Australian governments

determination to push ahead withmajor new coal projects will make

coal the new asbestos in healthrelated issues.


9/18


10/18

Disturbance of coal in all its forms liberates toxic

heavy metals, carcinogens and radioactive elements

that spread mass contamination.

Open cut mining leads to wind-blown particles,

which when uncontained can cause cancers and

neurological diseases.

Coal is a very poisonous substance.

Coal is mined in 70 different countries. Amongst the

worst offenders are the United States [US], Canada,

China, New Zealand [NZ], Poland, Russia, the United

Kingdom [UK] and Australia. Coal in Australia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal_in_Australia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal_in_Australia%20Accessed%2014th%20July%202010http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal_in_Australia%20Accessed%2014th%20July%202010


11/18

In the past ten years, over 10,000 American miners

have died from coal related diseases. Australias

records in relation to the health risks associated

with coal are sketchy and tend to be lost in the

correlation of other sectors, but significant health

related clusters occur. In the Hunter Valley town ofSingleton five residents around a single block were

struck with brain tumours, but the reports of a

cancer cluster due to coal have been played down. ABC News. Up to 40% of Hunter children have had asthma

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/05/06/2892234.htm

Health StudyDenied Despite Cancer Clusters. Sydney Morning Herald http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/health-

study-denied-despite-cancer-cluster-20100411-s0w6.html
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/05/06/2892234.htmhttp://www.smh.com.au/nsw/health-study-denied-despite-cancer-cluster-20100411-s0w6.htmlhttp://www.smh.com.au/nsw/health-study-denied-despite-cancer-cluster-20100411-s0w6.htmlhttp://www.smh.com.au/nsw/health-study-denied-despite-cancer-cluster-20100411-s0w6.htmlhttp://www.smh.com.au/nsw/health-study-denied-despite-cancer-cluster-20100411-s0w6.htmlhttp://www.smh.com.au/nsw/health-study-denied-despite-cancer-cluster-20100411-s0w6.htmlhttp://www.smh.com.au/nsw/health-study-denied-despite-cancer-cluster-20100411-s0w6.htmlhttp://www.smh.com.au/nsw/health-study-denied-despite-cancer-cluster-20100411-s0w6.htmlhttp://www.smh.com.au/nsw/health-study-denied-despite-cancer-cluster-20100411-s0w6.htmlhttp://www.smh.com.au/nsw/health-study-denied-despite-cancer-cluster-20100411-s0w6.htmlhttp://www.smh.com.au/nsw/health-study-denied-despite-cancer-cluster-20100411-s0w6.htmlhttp://www.smh.com.au/nsw/health-study-denied-despite-cancer-cluster-20100411-s0w6.htmlhttp://www.smh.com.au/nsw/health-study-denied-despite-cancer-cluster-20100411-s0w6.htmlhttp://www.smh.com.au/nsw/health-study-denied-despite-cancer-cluster-20100411-s0w6.htmlhttp://www.smh.com.au/nsw/health-study-denied-despite-cancer-cluster-20100411-s0w6.htmlhttp://www.smh.com.au/nsw/health-study-denied-despite-cancer-cluster-20100411-s0w6.htmlhttp://www.smh.com.au/nsw/health-study-denied-despite-cancer-cluster-20100411-s0w6.htmlhttp://www.smh.com.au/nsw/health-study-denied-despite-cancer-cluster-20100411-s0w6.htmlhttp://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/05/06/2892234.htm


12/18

Australia continues to have one of the highest rates

of asthma per capita in the western world, affecting

14-16% of children and 10-12% of adults and areas

like the New South Wales [NSW] Hunter Valley have

some of the highest rates of asthma within

Australia. 40 per cent of 9 to 15-years-olds in theregion have suffered from asthma at some stage. In

the US there are currently about 42,000

underground coal miners at risk of contracting coalrelated illnesses. The number is increasing in

Australia. ABC News. Up to 40% of Hunter children have had asthma

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/05/06/2892234.htm
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/05/06/2892234.htmhttp://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/05/06/2892234.htm


13/18


14/18

In 2010 Queensland announced a doubling of itscoal exports by 2030 putting an estimated 460

million tonnes of CO2s per annum into the

atmosphere. This significantly adds to the loss of

arable lands, protected species and poor health for

people living in the designated coal producing

areas.

These projects incur the need for massiveinfrastructure especially for coal transportation and

export, which further diminishes air quality.


15/18

Coal Corporations do not admit guilt!

In February 2009, about 250 American people filed suit againstcoal companies when they alleged mining poisoned wells in twocommunities in southern West Virginia. The lawsuit contendedthat coal companies pumped waste coal slurry in empty mines,and that underground cracks allowed the waste to pollute anaquifer. The state Department of Environmental Protectionclaimed it was unable to link the wells to the injection site.Nonetheless, the lawsuit targeted eight coal companies, includingMassy Energy, Peabody Energy and subsidiary Pine Ridge Coal,and West Virginia's Federal Coal Co. In April 2009, a settlementagreement was reached pending judicial approval. The settlement

called for the coal companies to contribute $45,000 to a fund toprovide drinking water to residents in the Seth-Prenter area. Thecompanies stated as part of the agreement that the payment doesnot constitute any admission of guilt and is inadmissible in court.

Charleston Daily Mail April 7th 2009.


16/18

Shame Australia!

Victorias Hazlewood power facility is one of the dirtiest coal fired power stations in the industrialised

world emitting around 17 millions tonnes of CO2 every year. In 2010-2011 there were a concerted

number of public calls to close the Hazlewood power station. However, closing Hazlewood power

facility would not save the planet from the many other hazardous processes involving coal. In

Australia coal is used to generate electricity and is exported. 75% of the coal mined in Australia isdestined for eastern Asia. Coal also provides about 85% of Australia's electricity production. In fiscal

year 2008/09, 487 million tonnes of coal was mined, and 261 million tonnes exported. Australia is the

world's leading coal exporter. The burning of coal produces 42.1% of Australia's greenhouse gas

emissions, not counting export coal [based on 2004 GHG inventory].

Exporting pollution does not put Australia in a good light amidst the internationalcommunity.

Climate Change Org. http://news.climatechange/coal and Climate Action Centre.Org Friends of the Earth Chain Reaction #107 November 2009 p17and Coal in Australiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal_in_Australia
http://news.climatechange/coalhttp://news.climatechange/coal


17/18

There is no such thing as clean coal!!!

Coal Companies will tell you there are new technologies, carbon capture and storage. They may say,

coal is clean now! Carbon capture and Storage [CCS] is in the experimental stage , it may never come

online.

On Thursday 21st Jan 2010 the Victorian Energy Minister Peter Bachelor rolled out details of a twenty-

nine million dollar plan to cut Victorias carbon footprint with a one million dollar study into retro-fitting

Loy Yang Power Station with new carbon capture technology [CCT], but CEO Ian Nethercote admitted

large scale reductions in emissions were still a long way off. Its not going to change things tomorrow,

this is one that has got some long term activity associated with it, said Nethercote.

If CCT/CCS works it will mean more open cut mines.

No more fossil fuels: Save our communities.


18/18

TO SAVE OUR

COMMUNTIES

LOCK THE GATE.

dying to work: the human cost of coal

Documents