Coal Plants Drive Mercury Emissions Higher

Mercury pollution rose last year as coal-burning power plants pushed more of the toxic metal into the air.

An analysis by The Times found that coal plants released more mercury, reversing a long decline that had marked years of progress. The setback matters because mercury does not stay neatly contained at smokestacks. It travels through the air, settles into water and soil, and enters the food chain, where it can pose lasting risks to human health.

The rebound in coal use did more than lift carbon emissions; it also pushed a dangerous neurotoxin back into the air.

Mercury carries a particular threat because even small amounts can harm developing brains. That makes increases in emissions more than a technical environmental story. They can signal broader exposure risks for communities far from the plants themselves, especially when the metal moves through ecosystems and into food supplies. Reports indicate the rise reflects a broader return to coal generation rather than a one-off spike at a single facility.

The reversal also underscores how quickly environmental gains can erode when energy systems shift back toward older, dirtier fuels. For years, the direction of mercury emissions had moved downward. Now that trend has broken, raising fresh questions about how regulators, utilities, and grid operators will respond if coal generation remains elevated.

What happens next will depend on whether the coal rebound proves temporary or sticks. If coal use stays high, mercury emissions could remain under pressure as well, complicating public health and pollution goals at the same time. The trend matters because it shows how energy choices ripple outward: what powers the grid can also reshape the air people breathe and the risks they carry.