The burden of diseases from air pollution caused by coal-fired power plants costs Filipinos P8.5 billion annually, a new report by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) revealed Monday.
The report titled "Air Quality and Health Impact of Coal-Fired Power in the Philippines" provided an analysis of the air quality, toxic deposition, and health impacts of coal plants in the Philippines, as well as its cost to the public and the economy.
"The climate crisis, air pollution, and the pandemic are mutually compounding threats that have coal at their center. This report sheds light on the hidden health and economic costs of coal, which has long been the dominant source of energy in our country," said CREA Southeast Asia analyst Isabella Suarez.
Currently, coal accounts for 54 percent of the country’s gross power generation with an installed generating capacity of approximately 10 gigawatts (GW), with another nine GW in various stages of construction and permitting.
The study estimated that currently operating coal plants in the Philippines emit approximately 1,500 kilograms (kg) of mercury per year, of which approximately 800 kg is deposited onto land and ocean.
Annually, 56 kg are deposited in protected areas around the country. Of the total projected annual mercury deposition, about 27 percent occurs on cropland, 13 percent on forest and scrubland, 53 percent into ocean and freshwater ecosystems, and seven percent into built-up areas.
Furthermore, acid deposition, which is a secondary compound formed when gases such as sulfur dioxide (SO2) react with other atmospheric chemicals, is estimated at 77,000 tons per year.
These compounds can be carried over great distances and deposited in wet form as rain or fog, or can simply settle out of the air as dry particles or gases (dry deposition).
The study noted that a cluster of coal-fired power plants in the southern part of Luzon is the biggest hotspot of acid deposition in the country, blanketing Batangas and Laguna in acid deposition.
"The addition of large capacity plants will see this area extend further west, all the way to Paracale, Camarines Norte. A few kilometers away, acid deposition from the Bataan plants are observed over Manila Bay. This hotspot spans over approximately 33 protected areas, many of which are forestlands," it said.
While many power plants are not built in close proximity to cities, their emissions nevertheless contribute to air pollution in these high-density areas, increasing the risk of death and illness from both acute and chronic diseases, CREA said.
With additional planned capacity, the total number of premature deaths attributed to coal pollution increases by approximately 60 percent from 632 to 1,009 deaths annually.
The burden of disease from particulate matter 2.5-related ischaemic heart disease and lower respiratory infection, as well as nitrogen oxide (NO2), are the highest of these avoidable deaths, the study noted.
Pollution from the current operating fleet was responsible for an estimated 640 air pollution-related deaths in 2019, as well as 1,300 new cases of child asthma, 149,000 days of work absence, and 240 preterm births, it added.
"Currently, air pollution from CFPPs (coal-fired power plants) is estimated to cost the country P8.5 billion annually. If all new proposed coal makes it onto the grid, this increases to nearly P14 billion," the study said.
The study added that Luzon bears almost 68 percent of estimated premature deaths linked to air pollution, as the region has the highest megawatt (MW) capacity of coal installed.
This is followed by Mindanao at 19 percent and Visayas at 13 percent.
"With the additional planned capacity, the disparity between the three main island groups widens. Luzon’s burden could increase to 77 percent of the 1,009 estimated premature deaths, as the greatest number of coal plants are proposed here," CREA noted.
The study cited that with the existing operating fleet, the provinces with the highest health impacts from coal are also among the most populous.
Under the current scenario, cases of premature death normalized against population density are highest in Batangas, followed by Misamis Oriental and Pangasinan.
It pointed out that health impacts in Metro Manila will more than double with the number of coal plants planned within 300 km from the capital city; a similar spike in cases of premature deaths due to coal pollution can be observed in Bataan and La Union, where major MW-capacity projects are proposed to be built.
With the additional coal capacity planned, provinces that are at risk of more than a 50 percent increase in premature deaths linked to air pollution also increase Zambales, Lanao del Norte, Pangasinan, Cavite, Tarlac, and Pampanga.
Over the next decade, CREA said the cumulative impact of air pollution from plants operating today will average nearly 7,000 avoidable deaths and cost the economy and Philippine population nearly P103 billion.
"We hope the findings of the report can inform the Philippine government and key decision-makers to go all in on the clean energy transition. Our continued reliance on coal is not just affecting the reliability of the energy system or the price of electricity, but is also impacting Filipinos’ health and well-being. It’s time to make that a main factor in the equation," Suarez said.
Paeng Lopez of Health Care Without Harm asserted that, "coal plants are a consistent source of health-damaging air pollution, and there have been plenty of studies during this COVID-19 pandemic that show a direct link between the increase in both morbidity and mortality rates in relation to exposure to air pollution. Therefore, all initiatives by the government towards healthy and just recovery under the new normal should include the significant reduction of Filipinos’ susceptibility to diseases like COVID-19 through decisive steps that, among others, reduce our dependence on coal."
In previous months, several studies have shown that a critical number of COVID-19 deaths around the world are attributable to dirty air. Studies have also shown that coal energy is a huge climate driver that needs to be stopped.
Greenpeace Southeast Asia energy justice campaigner Khevin Yu expressed that "under the current state of climate emergency, we need to prioritize protecting Filipinos – especially our most vulnerable communities – from the harmful and deadly effects of coal energy."
"Coal energy should be immediately isolated and then replaced by safer and more affordable renewable energy sources," he added. "Both the government and energy companies should protect the welfare of the people. And to achieve a better normal for all, we need to phase out coal now."
The report also complements the coal moratorium that the Department of Energy (DoE) implemented recently.
"While DoE’s coal moratorium signals a welcome policy shift from coal, unfortunately, it does not cover the 14.6 GW, 23 coal plants that are still in the pipeline. DoE can definitely do so much more," said Ian Rivera, national coordinator of the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice. "In line with the House of Representatives' climate and environmental emergency declaration, DoE should calibrate the Philippine Energy Plan by increasingly and swiftly withdrawing from coal, which means cancellation of all coal projects in the pipeline and phasing out of existing 33 coal plants which have a capacity of 10.4 GW."