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India- world’s highest sulphur dioxide producer
Why is it in News?
- According to a report from Greenpeace India and the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), though significant decline of 6% in 2019 compared to 2018, India is world’s highest sulphur dioxide producer.
Details:
- The data on sulphur emissions was sourced from the NASA Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI), a satellite-based device.
- It has been monitoring air quality from space since 2004.
- Report:
(1) In 2019, India emitted 21% of global anthropogenic (human-made) SO2 emissions.
(2) Russia and China occupied 2nd and 3rd position respectively.
(3) the biggest emission hotspots in India, are thermal power stations (or clusters of power stations) at Singrauli, Neyveli, Sipat, Mundra, Korba, Bonda, Tamnar, Talcher, Jharsuguda, Kutch, Surat, Chennai, Ramagundam, Chandrapur, Visakhapatnam and Koradi.
(4) Most coal plants in India are lacking in flue-gas desulfurization (FGD) technology, which is necessary to scrub emissions clean off sulphur.
- Sulphur dioxide:
(1) It is a colourless, bad-smelling, toxic air pollutant.
(2) SO2 is emitted by the burning of fossil fuels — coal, oil, and diesel — or other materials that contain sulphur.
(3) It can contribute to respiratory illness by making breathing more difficult, especially for children, the elderly
(4) It increases the risk of stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and premature death.