Modern living means fast transportation, rapid communications and heat, light and power at the flick of a switch.

But it doesn't come without cost... and one of the highest costs is pollution.

One of the worse offenders used to be coal fired power stations, but with government's tight environmental laws, and scientific research, stations like this one at Eraring in New South Wales are leaving the skies almost spotless.

"Without the filter bag there would be a large quantity of dust admitted to the atmosphere. It would be an environmental disaster"

When the coal is fired in these massive furnaces it leaves behind a fine residue, called fly ash, which is caught in thousands of long filter bags suspended in these hoppers.

But they're expensive. At Eraring alone there are 200 thousand bags which each cost around $60 to install, and they need regular replacement.

So CSIRO's Rob Helstroom began testing the bags, to find out how a stronger, better filter bag could be designed.

"Shrinkage is the major problem. It seems to occur at different rates at the power station and we're not really certain what's causing the problem, whether it's coal types or the way the power station is operating, or even the temperature of the flu gas. But it's a major problem and it's causing a premature failure of the filter bags well before we think they need to be replaced"

CSIRO is working with power stations bag manufacturer, Albany International to help develop a material and filter bag that will last longer, making industry's obligation to keep our skies clear an affordable task.