Mercury pollution — gold mining, coal thermal plants, no known safe exposure level
Question
Consider the following statements regarding mercury pollution: How many of the above statements are correct?
- 1.
Gold mining activity is a source of mercury pollution in the world.
- 2.
Coal-based thermal power plants cause mercury pollution.
- 3.
There is no known safe level of exposure to mercury.
Options
Only one
Only two
All three
None
Explanation
All three statements are correct. Artisanal and small-scale gold mining is globally the largest anthropogenic source of mercury pollution (used to amalgamate gold). Coal combustion in power plants also releases trace mercury into the atmosphere. The WHO explicitly warns that there is no known safe level of mercury exposure due to its extreme neurotoxicity.
Answer: (c).
Question details
Year
2023
Paper
GS Paper 1
Question
Q59
Subject
Environment
Sub-topic
Pollution & Waste
Type
How-many counting
Difficulty
Medium
Nature
Static
Source hint
UNEP Minamata Convention on Mercury
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