세계적 환경단체 그린피스가 새롭게 발간한 보고서에서 중국 최대 석탄 채굴기업인 Shenua 사의 운영이 지하수 농도를 낮추고 불법적으로 독성 산업 폐수를 몰래 배출해 왔다고 주장하였다.

'목마른 석탄'이라는 제목의 이 보고서는 중국 전체 보유량의 25%를 차지하는 산둥 석탄 채광 지역의 실태를 조사하였다.

특별히 2007년 3월 시작된 오르도스(Ordos) 석탄 유체화 시범 프로젝트가 위 보고서에서 면밀히 검토되었다.

Operations by China’s largest coal miner, Shenua Group, have reduced groundwater levels and seen the illegal dumping of “toxic industrial wastewater”, environmental campaign group Greenpeace has said in a new report.

The report, called Thirsty Coal, investigated the Shendong coal field, which makes up 25% of China’s total reserves.

In particular, the Ordos Coal-to Liquid (CTL) Demonstration Project that started operation in March 2007 was scrutinized.

Greenpeace said that groundwater levels in the primarily agricultural area of Ordos have fallen by nearly 100 metres since Shenhua started extracting water for CTL operations.

Converting coal to a liquid fuel (CTL), known as coal liquefaction, allows coal to be used an alternative to oil. The World Coal Association said two different methods exist for this process.

Direct liquefaction works by dissolving the coal in a solvent at high temperature and pressure. Liquid products require further refining to achieve high grade fuel characteristics.

The second method, indirect liquefaction gasifies the coal to form a ‘syngas’ which is condensed over a catalyst ? the ‘Fischer-Tropsch’ process ? to produce the end product.

Estimates suggest that for every ton of oil produced through direct coal liquefaction, 28 m3 of water is required.

Based on 11 field trips to the Shenhua project from March to July 2013, Greenpeace also investigated the discharge of industrial wastewater by the CTL demonstration project. The report said they found a “high concentration of toxic chemicals in the wastewater”.

Samples collected at discharge sites were sent to the Shanghai branch of SGC Laboratories and the Greenpeace Laboratory at the University of Exeter in the UK.

In total 99 semi-volatile organic compounds were said to have been identified in the wastewater and sediment samples, including PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and PAH-derivatives: xylene, styrene, dichloromethane and cresol.

Furthermore, the surface area of the Subeinaoer Lake has been estimated ? through satellite imagery ? to have decreased by 62% since Shenhua started extracting water.

Deng Ping, campaigner at Greenpeace East Asia, said: "Shenhua claims its coal-to-liquid project has ‘low water consumption’ and ‘zero discharge’. Our investigation proves these claims are false.”

Ping added: "Shenhua’s practices are violating Chinese water resource principles and laws controlling industrial waste water discharge."

Reuters reported that the Ordos city government has published notices pointing to a lack of safe drinking water for residents, reduced groundwater levels and irrigation problems - as a result of the coal-to-liquid project.

[출처: WWI Magazine / 2013년 7월 23일]