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Emissions
Geothermal plants, like most energy sources, do produce airborne emissions in the energy conversion process. These include small amounts of carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide, which are produced in amounts 24 and 3,865 times greater, respectively, in coal plants than geothermal plants. Despite the essentially negligible effects compared to fossil fuel emissions, certain emissions may pose hazards to people in close proximity such as plant workers. Reported incidences of hydrogen sulfide poisoning have occurred, with symptoms including wheezing and respiratory sickness.
Seismic Activity
Unlike much of the activity that causes earthquakes, seismic activity incurred by way of geothermal energy is almost exclusively undetectable by humans. These events are known accurately as "microearthquakes," registering no higher than 3 on the Richter scale. Such incidents are spurred by the injection of geothermal fluids into the earth, and activity is generally focused on the point of injection. Microearthquakes are considered to be non-threatening to geothermal plant activities or the communities surrounding their operations. However, some complaints have been made in connection with these happenings, and several tremors registering higher on the Richter scale have occurred.
Landslides
Experts suspect that landslides can be triggered by geothermal activity. Many geothermal plants are placed in zones predisposed to landslide occurrences, so a definitive conclusion as to cause and effect has been unattainable. Landslides may be provoked by the heat generated underground from continuous geothermal activities, deteriorating the composition of the soil, and further exacerbated by seismic activity, perhaps also a direct geothermal result. Certain experts believe that landslides in geothermal plant locations can be prevented due to the warning signals they offer, though many devastating occurrences have already been documented.
Land Deformation
Repeated extraction of the Earth's fluids can result in decreased internal pressure underground, causing gradual sinking of the uppermost layers of the land. This may cause damage to roadways, pipelines or buildings; large sunken areas near bodies of water may even become flooded. An extreme case was recorded in 2005: An area near a geothermal facility in Wairakei, New Zealand, had been lowered 46 feet at its center after having sunk nearly 1.5 feet per year since it was built.