Coal Mining's Impact: Soil and Water Contamination in Australia Report

This report investigates the significant environmental consequences of coal mining in Australia, specifically focusing on soil and water contamination. The paper emphasizes the importance of addressing this issue due to its potential health and economic impacts, including increased mortality rates and healthcare costs. It identifies the root causes of the problem, such as inadequate government regulations and improper waste disposal practices by mining companies. The report proposes an advocacy strategy to mitigate these issues, advocating for stricter regulations, improved mining practices, and increased environmental awareness. The author highlights the potential benefits of these strategies, including reduced pollution, improved public health, and economic stability, ultimately aiming to create a sustainable future for Australia's coal mining industry and its citizens.

Running Head: COAL MINING CONTAMINATION OF SOIL AND WATER IN AUSTRALIA
Coal Mining Contamination of Soil and Water in Australia
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COAL MINING CONTAMINATION OF SOIL AND WATER IN AUSTRALIA

COAL MINING CONTAMINATION OF SOIL AND WATER IN AUSTRALIA 2
Executive Summary
Coal mining has been one of the main source of income in Austalia.Coal mining has come
with its negative effects which includes pollution.Polluion that is commonly as a result of
coal mining is soil and water pollution. There is an immediate need of the participants to
mitigate this problem before it goes beyond control. The government as a key actor should
take the respective measures which will be discussed in this report.

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Contents
Executive summary………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 2
Introduction...........................................................................................................................................4
Importance of Addressing the Issue......................................................................................................4
Cause of the Problem............................................................................................................................5
Solution to be achieved through Advocacy Strategy.............................................................................6
Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………6
References.............................................................................................................................................7

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Introduction
Coal mining has been one of the most income generating natural resource in Australia. It
has created jobs for more than five hundred people. Due to rampant mining process, it has
brought in some negative effects which includes contamination of soil and water among other
effects. The two main effects have left the life of the Australian citizens in danger which in
later may lead to increase in death rate in the coming years. There is a need for the address of
this problem before it goes beyond control (Tang et al., 2018). This paper will use the
advocacy strategy to address this problem. It will tackle the problem highlighting its
importance, the cause, the effects and the solution to be achieved.
Importance of Addressing the Issue
There is a great importance of addressing this issue of the pollution since it may bring in
dangers of death if not properly managed (Busby, 2008). In 2008, World Health Organization
coal pollution shortens the lives of one millions citizens worldwide. In 2004, a group called
US EPA conducted that coal pollution costs twenty four thousand lives a year in every
country participating in mining (Busby, 2008). If that problem is clearly addressed, those
demining by the coal mining may be saved and perform other task which may improve the
economy.
Again, if this issue is addressed it will minimize the cost of mining including the money
used to take care of the affected (Tang et al., 2018). The money can be used elsewhere. In
2008 World Health Organization also indicated that it takes more than one billion per year for
the treatment of coal pollution victims.

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Cause of the Problem
There is increased contamination of the soil and water in Australia because of the
negligence of the government for not providing thorough education on what should be done
in the process of mining (Gholizadeh et al., 2015). The government of Australia has not been
in the front line to check out the process of mining and its disposal. The coal miners have
started disposing the waste products anyhow without the knowledge that it may endanger the
lives of both people and aquatic animals.
Again there has been clearing of trees to get access to the mineral which may end up
leaving some of the citizens landless which in long terms increases costs to the government
(Ali et al., 2018) The trees are the sources of rain and if they are sparse may lead to lower
rains which in latter may lead to droughts leaving people of Australia in hunger.
Poor disposal of the parent rock exposed from coal mining may cover the top soil that is
rich in nutrients which makes the land wasted and also the soil not able to support the plants.
The disposal of such soil may also lead to death of people if it falls to the miners’ involved
(Serrano et al., 2016). The caves also may be danger in operating since the soil may get back
and also the coal may burn since it is explosive.
All these problems can be easily eradicated if the government intervenes. There should be
clear set rules and regulations which would cover the disposal of the waste products and its
treatment (Ali et al., 2018). Those rules and regulations should be strictly enforced until
every coal miner understands them clearly. High fines should be addressed to the coal miners
for those who do not abide with the regulations.
There should also be a thorough education on the best ways of mining the coal, experts
should be consulted to give the best ideas which would help minimize the problem (Wright et

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al., 2018). Through this the best ways of mining will be achieved and the experts obtained
from there who in future would be the best organizers of the coal mining in Australia.
Solution to be achieved through Advocacy Strategy
The information gathered for this will make Australia and the other countries involved in
coal mining be the leading (Serrano et al., 2016). The happiest thing is that the mortality rate
from coal mining will reduce and the life span of the citizens increase.
The government will also reduce the cost incurred due to coal mining and the money used
in their treatment be used in things which would improve the economy (Wright et al., 2018).
My happiness is that if all the Australian citizens are economically stable and don’t
overdedepnt each other.
The coal will also be the best mineral in Australia since its process would be relatively
cheaper and higher profits would be gained (Gholizadeh et al., 2015). It would also be a great
thing if more jobs are created through the coal mining which will reduce the number of
dependants and also make the economy stable.
Conclusion
By using the findings, the entire problem can be mitigated and the lives of people should
not be in danger. It is also a high time for every Australian citizen to take it as his or her
responsibility to conserve environment as far as coal mining pollution is concerned.

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References
Ali, A. E., Strezov, V., Davies, P., Wright, I., & Kan, T. (2017). Impact of coal mining on
river sediment quality in the Sydney basin, Australia. International Journal of
Environmental, Chemical, Ecological, Geological and Geophysical Engineering, 11(4),
243-248.
Ali, A. E., Strezov, V., Davies, P. J., & Wright, I. (2018). River
sediment quality assessment using sediment quality indices for
the Sydney basin, Australia affected by coal and coal seam gas
mining. Science of the Total Environment, 616, 695-702.
Wright, I. A., Belmer, N., & Davies, P. J. (2017). Coal mine water pollution and ecological
impairment of one of Australia’s most ‘protected’high conservation-value rivers. Water,
Air, & Soil Pollution, 228(3), 90.
Tang, Z., Chai, M., Cheng, J., Jin, J., Yang, Y., Nie, Z. & Li, Y. (2017). Contamination and
health risks of heavy metals in street dust from a coal-mining city in eastern
China. Ecotoxicology and environmental safety, 138, 83-91.
Serrano, O., Davis, G., Lavery, P. S., Duarte, C. M., Martinez-Cortizas, A., Mateo, M. A... S
& Kendrick, G. A. (2016). Reconstruction of centennial-scale fluxes of chemical elements
in the Australian coastal environment using seagrass archives. Science of the Total
Environment, 541, 883-894.
Gholizadeh, A., Borůvka, L., Vašát, R., Saberioon, M., Klement, A., Kratina, J. & Drábek, O.
(2015). Estimation of potentially toxic elements contamination in anthropogenic soils on a
brown coal mining dumpsite by reflectance spectroscopy: A case study. PloS one, 10(2),
e0117457.
Busby, J. W. (2008). Who cares about the weather?: Climate change and US national
security. Security Studies, 17(3), 468-504.