Weather & Science

South Korea Plan to Use Ammonia for Power Raises Health Concerns

Government plans to co-fire coal plants with ammonia could boost air pollution, according to a new study from two nonprofits.

Photographer: Waldo Swiegers/Bloomberg
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South Korea’s plan to co-fire coal plants with ammonia could spew thousands of tons of toxic gas that’s known to cause breathing difficulties, lung disease and genetic dysfunctions into the atmosphere, according a new analysis.

Burning ammonia doesn’t emit carbon dioxide but it does release fine particulate matter known as PM2.5, according to a report from Solutions for Our Climate and Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. The two nonprofits argued that South Korea should transition away from coal and accelerate a shift towards renewables like solar and wind.