Environmental Groups Warn of Mercury Contamination from Norochcholai Coal Imports

Environmental groups have raised significant concerns regarding potential mercury contamination from coal imported for the Norochcholai coal power plant. The Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ), through its Chairperson Hemantha Withanage, highlighted that Sri Lanka currently lacks binding standards for mercury content in imported coal, despite suspicions of recent consignments being of inferior quality. Environmental expert Dr. Vidura Ralapanawe further detailed that the plant annually releases an estimated 600 to 650 kilograms of mercury into the environment, contributing to marine and atmospheric pollution. According to Industrial Technology Institute (ITI) test reports, imported coal contains approximately 0.27 milligrams of mercury per kilogram, with the plant burning 2.2 to 2.4 million tons of coal annually and releasing mercury without purification. This situation poses considerable risks to both human health and local ecosystems.