Nitrogen oxide pollution from coal mines targeted

A petition from the environmental activist group WildEarth Guardians is set to be assessed by authorities in the US, after it was found that coal mines in the country continue to emit harmful amounts of nitrogen oxide into the atmosphere.

The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) announced in December that it is set to pursue a revision of best practices regarding blasting operations.

Toxic clouds

The call from WildEarth is centred on the toxic clouds of nitrogen oxide that are released during blasting, sending the element into the atmosphere. This doesn’t just pose a risk to anyone unfortunate enough to breath in the substance, but it can also have knock-on environmental effects too.

At low levels the gas remains invisible, however, in high concentrations that exceed safe parameters it can be seen – giving off an orange hue.

“[the burden] should be on the coal industry to take reasonable measures to prevent lethal emissions,” WildEarth Guardians’ Climate and Energy Program Director Jeremy Nichols explained in a statement.

Be that as it may, the Director of OSMRE Joseph Pizarchik stated that many of those in charge of coal mines in the US are undertaking their work within the correct boundaries.

“There are many responsible operators and regulators who understand they must and do blast in a manner that protects people. Unfortunately, not everyone understands their legal obligations, or they are willing to take unnecessary risks,” he said.

Managing nitrogen oxide

While this issue is currently rumbling on in the US, it highlights the need for effective management of nitrogen oxide emissions back home in Australia too.

According to statistics from the World Coal Association, Australia is the fifth biggest producer of the mineral across the globe. Facts like that only help back up claims that the industry should be doing all it can to stay in the best of health.

With mining as the focal point of so many communities, releasing harmful gas into the air regularly will put workers and their families at risk, ultimately having the potential to impact the wider economy – or worse – cause harm to the population.

While nitrogen oxide will likely remain a by-product of coal-mining – particularly when blasting is involved – making sure that it remains at manageable levels is crucial.

With the potential harmful effects that over-exposure to dangerous gases can pose, it falls upon those within industry to ensure that they are effectively monitored. To that end, using a device such as the Testo 340 gas analyser can help detect traces of nitrogen oxide, allowing for preventative action to be taken if levels become detrimental.