Monster serbian coal plants face legal action after ending hundreds of lives early

(META News Channel EEB, 26 Jan 2021) Serbian coal plants have spewed vast amounts of toxic gasses across the entire region for decades, causing hundreds of premature deaths in the Western Balkans and the EU. Today, they are finally in court, thanks to NGO campaigners. Roberta Arbinolo reports.

The plants run by state-owned energy company Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) have been releasing poisonous emissions six times above the limits set by domestic and international law. Today, Serbian NGO Renewables and Environmental Regulatory Institute (RERI) has filed a legal challenge to stop them.

A transnational threat

Serbian thermal power plants are among Europe’s biggest emitters of sulfur dioxide (SO2), and a public health and economic liability for the whole continent.

SO2 is a harmful gas released when burning coal, which contributes to the formation of acid rain and particulate matter (PM), and pose a significant threat to human health and the environment.

When inhaled, SO2 can cause severe irritation of the nose and throat, coughing and difficulty in breathing. Exposure to high concentrations can also cause a life-threatening accumulation of fluid in the lungs, as well as long-lasting condition like asthma.

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META News Channel EEB, 26 Jan 2021: Monster serbian coal plants face legal action after ending hundreds of lives early