Greenpeace: Particulate matter emitted by coal-fired plants spread across Turkey

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Coal-fired power plants cause air pollution in not only the cities they are located in but also for cities hundreds of kilometers away, according to an air pollution modeling by Greenpeace Mediterranean.

Particulate matter emitted by power plants spread across the country, shows a simulation based on the modeling.

The modeling examines particulate matter (PM) 2.5 emission by 28 coal-fired power plants with an installed capacity of 100 megawatts and above, which were listed in a report by Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL).

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines PM2.5 as a carcinogen that can hang in the air for days depending on size and can travel thousands of kilometers depending on weather conditions. Coal-fired plants are among the leading sources of PM2.5.

According to a study carried out in China in 2015, PM2.5 can travel as long as 2,000 kilometers in two days.

Also, a 2020 modeling by Greenpeace Mediterranean revealed the link between PM2.5 and childhood asthma in Turkey. (TP/VK)