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ECOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF SANITARY CONDITIONS IN UNDERGROUND MINING

Dorota Pałka

Abstract

Underground coal mining plays an important role in the Polish economy. It is particularly important in the Silesia region, where coal is called black gold. Hard coal mines are the only source of income for thousands of families living in this region, and coal is the basic raw material for the production of electricity and heat. However, the exploitation of coal is inseparable from the negative impact on the environment. The basic ecological problems of mining include: mining damage, areas degraded as a result of mining activities, emission of pollutants into the air, mining waste, water pollution from plant dewatering and many others. One of the important ecological and social problems of this process is to ensure proper sanitary conditions for employees. This seemingly trivial problem in the conditions of underground exploitation is a very important issue. The lack of designated places to meet physiological needs is a problem that significantly affects occupational health and safety, and at the same time can cause social tensions. Employees' unconsciousness may also result in a significant ecological threat, in particular in relation to groundwater. In extreme cases, an epidemiological threat may occur. A large amount of waste remaining in underground excavations and resulting from the lack of sanitary standards and the habits of employees can therefore be a major threat to working environment. To solve this problem and to improve working conditions, a project was implemented to create sanitary spaces in underground workings. The work presents the results of the implementation of this project. Data on the amount of solid and liquid waste exported from the surveyed enterprises are particularly interesting. The paper presents the basic assumptions of the project and discusses its effects on the environment. The implementation of the proposed solutions should significantly improve working conditions and positively affect the natural environment.

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DOI resolver: doi.org/10.5593/sgem2018v/4.3/s05.005

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