Harm to Human Health from Breathing and Ingesting Coal Ash Toxicants

Presented by Earthjustice

"Coal ash, the toxic remains of coal burning in power plants, contains a hazardous brew of toxic pollutants including arsenic, boron, cadmium, chromium, lead, radium, selenium, and more.

The toxics in coal ash can cause cancer, heart disease, reproductive failure, and stroke, and can inflict lasting brain damage on children."

Is drinking water safe?

"Both U.S. EPA and public interest groups have identified at least 26 sites where private wells have been contaminated by coal ash.

Most often, neither power companies nor state regulators test private drinking water wells. Most state regulations and U.S. EPA’s CCR Rule require plant owners to test only onsite groundwater.

As a result, contamination may go undetected in private wells for years, because most coal ash pollutants have no telltale taste or color."