Threats to Human Health from Coal Ash

The document outlines how breathing or ingesting chemicals in coal ash can damage every major organ in the human body. It provides a detailed breakdown of how specific substances—including heavy metals like lead, arsenic, and mercury, as well as PM2.5 particles—contribute to cancers, reproductive issues, and neurological damage.

• Exposure to coal ash chemicals can cause widespread systemic harm, with short-term exposure leading to acute symptoms like dizziness and nausea, while long-term exposure results in organ damage and various cancers.
• Specific chemicals in coal ash are linked to diverse cancers: arsenic is associated with lung, skin, and urinary tract cancers; radium increases the risk of lung, thyroid, liver, bone, and skin cancers; and chromium is linked to stomach and lung cancers.
• Neurological and developmental damage is caused by several components, with mercury and lead posing significant risks to children and fetuses, including reduced IQ and brain swelling.
• Respiratory and cardiovascular systems are targeted by multiple pollutants; PM2.5 particles can lodge deep in the lungs causing premature death and heart disease, while vanadium and nickel can cause asthma and lung scarring.
• Reproductive health is threatened by substances such as zinc, cadmium, and manganese, which can harm female fertility and decrease sperm count or fertility in males.

APA

Earthjustice (n.d.). Threats to Human Health from Coal Ash. https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/coal-ash-person-2025.pdf

Chicago

Earthjustice. Threats to Human Health from Coal Ash. n.d. https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/coal-ash-person-2025.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Earthjustice |title=Threats to Human Health from Coal Ash |url=https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/coal-ash-person-2025.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{earthjusticendthreats, author = {{Earthjustice}}, title = {{Threats to Human Health from Coal Ash}}, institution = {Earthjustice}, url = {https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/coal-ash-person-2025.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }