Origin Energy's pollution contributes to the increased cases of illnesses in New South Wales

Coal combustion residual (CCR) contains lethal pollutants, including arsenic, lead, & mercury¹. Coal plants release fly ash as a by-product of coal combustion, which pollutes the air when disturbed². Fly ash causes premature death³. Short-term exposure to CCR causes dizziness & nausea, while long-term exposure causes organ damage & cancer¹.

Based in Australia, Origin Energy generates electricity & produces natural gas¹¹. In FY22, Origin released 46,382 tonnes (t) of NOx, SOx, VOC & PM^18;p33. Origin owns Eraring power station in New South Wales (NSW), the country's largest coal-fired power plant located in the Hunter valley^10,11. As of 2020, Origin Energy had leaked about 685 t of heavy metals into lake Macquarie⁹. Groundwater & fish samples taken from lake Macquarie near Eraring station were found to contain excess levels of zinc, arsenic, & nickel^6,13;p3. With warnings not to consume seafood from Lake Macquarie, the Abawakal community, with a population of 5,500+⁵ living around lake Macquarie, has its livelihood destroyed since it mainly depends on the resources in & near the lake^6,8;p2. Eraring sources its coal from the Mandalong coal mine located in the Hunter region^15,16, an area that has seen conflict over lost farmland & villages due to coal mining⁷.

In NSW, coal-fired power stations cause the most air pollution, increasing premature deaths annually^14,4;p1. Eraring station is viewed as a contributor to premature deaths in NWS, with a study indicating that its closure would reduce the 45 deaths attributed to coal-fired power stations by a 1/4 (11 fewer deaths)¹⁴. Eraring Energy, whose main coal by-product is fly ash, was fined USD15,000 for toxic dust pollution, a third fine in 4 years for toxic dust polluting suburbs a few kilometers from it¹². Dora Creek, ~3 km away, with a population of 1,300, is a suburb based near Eraring power station & likely affected by the toxic air pollution¹⁷.

Origin Energy's pollution exposes communities to poisonous pollutants.