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Although Elektroprivreda Srbije denies the claims of Vigor Majic, director of the Petnica research station, that the Kolubara mining basin sells tailings with a high percentage of clay to citizens for heating, a source close to the company notes that the main The problem is the poor quality of the extracted coal. Lazarevac, which pollutes the air.
Photo: FoNet / JP EPSIn a statement for our newspaper, Vigor Majić points out that the problem is that citizens use coal intended for combustion in industrial plants for heating, which is not adapted for use in individual furnaces.
– Until the 1990s, coal destined for combustion in industrial plants, which have technology that adapts it for this purpose, was not used as heating in homes. Higher quality coal from Bosnia and Herzegovina was used for this. With the disintegration of Yugoslavia, this coal was no longer available for these purposes, and Kolubara lignite, which is of lower quality, has been used ever since. The lower the quality of the coal, the more soot it produces, which generates more air pollution. According to the information I have, judging by everything from the “Kolubara” Mining Basin, companies that market firewood, as well as individual consumers, also sell coal intended to be used solely in industrial plants. This coal is not even used for the production of electricity in thermal power plants, because its quality is very bad and as such it is inefficient in this process. Clay-containing coal is not intended for combustion in individual citizen combustion chambers at all. It is simply not intended for that purpose and is highly polluting. From what I heard, it is still happening and it is the cause of a lot of air pollution in Serbia, says Vigor Majić.
A Danas source close to EPS claims that the main culprit for the great air pollution in and around Belgrade is the individual combustion chambers, that is, citizens who heat with charcoal and wood in their homes, as well as the fact that that the coal mined in the Kolubara basin is of very poor quality. although he cannot confirm the correctness of the claim that it also contains clay, that is, they are tailings.
– The lower the quality of the coal, the more it pollutes the environment. For example, RB “Kolubara” employees use coal from open pit mines en masse in their homes. They can get it in several deliveries, which is very profitable for them: our interlocutor describes the situation in Lazaravac.
On the other hand, in a statement sent to Danas, the Serbian Power Industry rejects the accusations that it sells poor quality coal, which has an impact on the increase in air pollution.
The branch of the “Kolubara” Mining Basin has never sold tailings with a high percentage of clay to citizens and companies, they say in that company.
– RB “Kolubara” does business with coal buyers who, upon signing the contract, also receive a declaration of the range of coal they buy individually. Each coal assortment has a special declaration, and product sampling and analysis is also performed every day in an accredited laboratory. Every coal buyer has the opportunity to advertise the product if the delivered coal does not meet the declaration standards. The RB “Kolubara” branch commission reacts after the complaint is submitted and addresses the buyer for inspection. Customer satisfaction with the quality of the coal delivered by RB “Kolubara” is best evidenced by the data on the minimum percentage of complaints after delivery to the address, as well as the high demand for our product in the market. Reports are also prepared periodically on the amounts announced. Based on the delivery of dry coal, the percentage of approved quantities and complaints in relation to the total quantity delivered for the first nine months of 2020 is 0.05 percent, and for the same period of approved complaints based on raw coal delivered is of 0.1 percent – according to EPS- u.
In addition, EPS notes that RB “Kolubara” sells coal of all assortments in a transparent and public way, through public invitations, especially for each category of customers.
– Most customers request the purchase of dry coal, assortment piece and piece – cube and raw piece. Most homes use this type of charcoal. RB “Kolubara” branch surveys customer satisfaction and ratings are positive. Charges of poor quality coal as a cause of contamination are flat claims without any evidence. To determine the cause of any pollution, and especially air pollution, it is necessary to analyze air quality and monitor these results over time. This is done by the relevant institutions in charge of environmental protection. Before its placement to the clients, the coal goes through a dry separation, which is mostly freed of all impurities, they conclude in EPS.
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