01/23/2026
The Department of the Interior has unveiled a new cutesy mascot to promote “beautiful, clean coal.” But can coal ever truly be “clean”? Let’s unpack it.
When people say clean coal, they usually mean reducing some of coal’s worst pollution, not eliminating it.
Modern scrubbers and filters can remove much of the sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and particulates that cause smog and acid rain. However, heat-trapping carbon emissions, health impacts and environmental degradation are the elephant in the room.
Burning coal releases more COâ‚‚ per unit of electricity than any other major fuel. It releases toxic pollutants such as mercury and heavy metals and is linked to respiratory and cardiovascular disease. Fossil fuel pollution, including from burning coal, is responsible for 1 in 5 deaths worldwide. Coal mining also scars landscapes and destroys habitats and coal ash waste can contaminate water.
It’s also inefficient compared to other energy sources. Grid-scale batteries, diversified renewables, and smart grids are cheaper, cleaner sources of energy.
So while coal can be cleaner than it used to be, it will never truly be clean, no matter what Coalie likes to tell you.
