When coal is burned, roughly ten percent remains behind in mineral form that is contaminated with toxic heavy metals. In coming years, as more coal-fired plants install scrubbers, this proportion will rise. The already large stream of toxic coal combustion residues (CCRs) will grow significantly. At present, we have only a patchwork of state regulations. [...]
Posts Tagged as ‘coal ash’
February 24, 2010
Maryland Protections on Toxic Coal Ash Coming Soon?
Maryland gets about 60 percent of its in-state electricity from generation plants burning toxic coal. According to the Maryland Department of the Environment: A total of approximately 2 million tons of coal ash (fly and bottom ash) is generated annually from Maryland plants. Approximately 1.6 million tons of coal ash (fly and bottom ash) is generated [...]
November 6, 2009
Where to Dump Coal Ash?
How many times have we heard it? Coal is cheap! How cheap is coal depends on how cheaply we value human life. This question comes up whenever we decide where to dump toxic coal dust. Maximiliano Calcano is 2 and was born with no arms. “When I was pregnant, I was dizzy, vomiting and could [...]
September 1, 2009
Coal Ash Is Hazardous Waste
Coal is…dirty and dangerous when you mine it….when you “prep” it….when you ship it…when you burn it…AND when you dispose of coal ash. Let’s talk about that last dirty and dangerous step. Coal ash contains a variety of toxic heavy metals. And the stuff is piling up at a tremendous rate. We produced 131 million [...]
