As coal is considered as a substitute for other fuels, more serious attention is being given to the environmental impacts of the whole coal fuel cycle: mining, transport, storage, combustion and conversion. This volume presents an up-to-date account of these environmental impacts and the recent developments to combat and control them. A feature of the book is the way in which it discusses not only the experience and developments in North America and Western Europe but also presents much information made available for this study on the developments in the socialist countries of Eastern Europe.

Environmental Implications of Expanded Coal Utilization focuses on the increasing consideration of coal as an alternative source of energy. This book comes as an answer to the issues on health and environment regarding the extraction, production, and use of coal. Composed of nine chapters, the selection starts by underlining the potential prospects for coal, which plays a vital role in meeting energy demands. The book also shows that problems have evolved regarding the use of coal, including land disturbance and increased land occupation due to mining. The text also notes that the international trade of coal will surely generate waste products, and some of which can be the result of poor transportation and handling. The book focuses on coal gasification and liquefaction and emphasizes that the processes involved must be carefully understood in order to avoid the environmental impacts of coal use. Attempts have been made to establish a conceptual framework to be used in assessing the health and environmental health impacts of the conversion and utilization of coal. Relative to this, discussions that follow include the trace elements that are the products of coal combustion and conversion and also coal derived carbon compounds. Another sector is focused on the evaluation of the effects of emissions on human health, especially of workers in the industry. The effects of the utilization of coal on communities are also considered. The text is a vital source of information to those involved in the research on the use of coal as alternative source of energy.