Evening Mail; Birmingham, UK
November 18, 2008

China’s coal industry has hidden annual costs of 159 billion pounds in damage to health and the environment, according to Chinese experts.

Their report said pollution affected water, land and air around mines.

It also said the burning of coal led to emissions of mercury and acid rain, and mining accidents killed nearly 3,800 people and injured many more in 2007.

The report said coal prices would have to rise by around 25 per cent to reflect the true cost to Chinese society.

The report was prepared over three years by Chinese economists and environmentalists.

The country is the world’s biggest coal producer and consumer.

“Behind China’s large production and consumption of coal lie expensive and worrying environmental and social costs,” the report said.

“Currently these costs are paid by the people in China suffering from the damage,” said Mao Yushi of the Unirule Institute of Economics.

(c) 2008 Evening Mail; Birmingham (UK). Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.