Study finds high mercury in women’s hair near Puttalam lagoon

Colombo, March 31 (Daily Mirror) - A disturbing new study has intensified concerns over environmental pollution and public health in Sri Lanka due to combustion of low-quality coal, revealing that women with no occupational exposure to mercury have recorded alarmingly high levels of the toxic metal in their hair.

Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) chairperson and senior advisor Hemantha Withanage said the findings point to a possible link between mercury released during the combustion of low-quality coal and its accumulation in the environment and marine life, eventually entering the human body through food sources.

The study found that 28 women between the ages of 18 and 44 had mercury levels in their hair exceeding 1 ppm, the reference dose established by the United States National Research Council in 2000 (U.S. EPA 2001). The highest level recorded reached 15.584 ppm, raising serious concerns about exposure levels in communities with no direct occupational contact.

Withanage said that issues related to industrial pollution and coal quality have long been raised, noting that Environmental Protection License (EPL) standards set at 0.01 are intended to regulate such emissions. He added that when coal was imported, no clear information was provided regarding mercury content.

He further warned that communities in Norochcholai, Paniadiya, Narakkalliya, and around the Puttalam lagoon area may already be exposed to dangerous levels of mercury. According to him, the CEJ study also focused on mercury contamination through lagoon fish consumption, with possible links to fly ash from the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant.

Calling for urgent action, Withanage urged authorities to identify the sources of exposure and prevent further contamination, warning that the situation could develop into a crisis similar to Minamata. (Minamata disease is a severe neurological syndrome caused by methylmercury poisoning, resulting from industrial wastewater released by the Chisso Corporation into Minamata Bay, Japan, between 1932 and 1968.) As a signatory to the Minamata Convention, Sri Lanka is obligated to eliminate mercury sources, he said, adding that the country had committed to doing so by 2020.

Meanwhile, concerns have also been raised by medical experts over the broader environmental impact of coal use. Specialist Dr Chamal Sanjeewa, Chairman of the Medical and Civil Rights Doctors' Trade Union Alliance, said that the use of substandard coal could be contributing to rising mercury levels in fish found in coastal waters and lagoons, posing potential health risks to consumers.

Dr Sanjeewa warned that mercury released during combustion may accumulate in marine life and enter the food chain. He also pointed to past maritime incidents along the coastline as a possible factor contributing to elevated mercury levels in fish.

He said he had repeatedly urged the Central Environmental Authority to conduct a comprehensive study on emissions from substandard coal and release a report, but claimed there has been no response so far.

While acknowledging that earlier studies at the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant did not detect significant mercury emissions from previous coal imports, he cautioned that current coal supplies may present different risks. He also expressed concern over the lack of response from the Ministry of Health, warning that continued reliance on low-quality coal could have serious environmental, economic, and public health consequences.

Adding to the growing concerns, a report by the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) has found that emissions of key pollutants from the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant have increased significantly in recent measurements, although they remain within permitted limits.

Comparative data from February 2026 shows notable rises in emission levels for Units 1 and 3, including carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, and sulphur dioxide. Despite these increases, the report emphasised that all emissions remain within Environmental Protection License (EPL) limits.

However, the upward trend in emissions following the use of the current coal supplier has raised fresh questions about fuel quality and its long-term environmental impact, even as the plant continues to operate within regulatory standards.