the local power plant here is ~20mg SO2 per kWh
This:
Putting into perspective the SO² ... just picking a random European power plant. Scholven power station produces approximately 90 tonnes of SO² per hour at maximum generation and just under half that is removed by electrostatic scrubbers giving ≈45 tonnes/hour... that works backwards nicely fitting the 20mg/kWh...
Other facts to consider:
The same plant also produces more than 10 million tonnes of carbon dioxide each year.
The three worst offenders in and around Europe are first Germany; second Poland; and third the UK... the UK and Germany have between them two thirds of the 30 worst poluting power plants in Europe which is an absolute farce as both countries have the most vocal aspirations about improvement in their green credentials.
The UK is at least intent on increasing its baseline of nuke generation.
All the above is just seemingly arbitrary statistics, so how about this:
Every year in Europe there are:
28 million cases of lower respiratory tract infections,
4million lost days of work, and, 18,500, premature deaths,
Attributed to atmospheric polution.
The policy in Germany, is I'm afraid just further proof that goverments are prepared to bend to unfounded opinions rather than logic to remain in power.
Said it before, just proof the world is run by idiocracy.
People is stupid.