COAL ASH PRIMER

The document describes coal ash as a toxic industrial waste stream containing carcinogens and neurotoxins that contaminate air, soil, and water when improperly managed. It evaluates various disposal methods, identifying unlined surface impoundments as the most hazardous and encapsulated reuse in concrete or gypsum as the safest. The guide outlines specific technical standards for landfills and ponds—including impermeable liners, groundwater monitoring, and siting prohibitions—and argues for enforceable, site-specific permits and financial assurance to ensure long-term remediation.

• The toxicity of coal ash is increased by the use of pollution control devices on smokestacks, which capture hazardous chemicals that would otherwise be emitted into the air.
• Coal ash contains a wide array of toxic substances, including arsenic, lead, mercury, and selenium, which can cause cancer, kidney disease, and nervous system damage.
• Improper disposal of coal ash leads to widespread groundwater contamination; in the United States, 91 percent of coal plant sites have contaminated underlying groundwater above health standards.
• Unlined surface impoundments (ponds) are identified as the most dangerous disposal method due to the risk of groundwater leaching and catastrophic structural failures.
• Encapsulated reuse, such as incorporating fly ash into concrete, bricks, tiles, or gypsum board, is the least harmful way to manage coal ash because it reduces the potential for toxic leaching and air emissions.
• The use of coal ash as an agricultural soil amendment poses significant risks, as toxic metals can accumulate in food crops, such as basil and zucchini, which may then be consumed by humans or animals.
• Safe disposal requires keeping coal ash dry and utilizing engineered landfills with composite liners, leachate collection systems, and strict siting prohibitions to separate waste from aquifers and wetlands.
• Effective long-term management requires financial assurance (bonding) to ensure that funds are available for closure and remediation, preventing cleanup costs from falling on taxpayers.

APA

EVANS, L., HARRISON, P., LAWRENCE, J., CASELL, J., THIEMANN, D., & KIM, J. (n.d.). COAL ASH PRIMER. Earthjustice. https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/coal-ash-primer_earthjustice_2023.pdf

Chicago

EVANS, LISA, PETE HARRISON, JESSICA LAWRENCE, JENNY CASELL, DANNY THIEMANN, and JINA KIM. COAL ASH PRIMER. Earthjustice, n.d. https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/coal-ash-primer_earthjustice_2023.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=EVANS |first1=LISA |last2=HARRISON |first2=PETE |last3=LAWRENCE |first3=JESSICA |last4=CASELL |first4=JENNY |last5=THIEMANN |first5=DANNY |last6=KIM |first6=JINA |title=COAL ASH PRIMER |publisher=Earthjustice |url=https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/coal-ash-primer_earthjustice_2023.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{evansndcoal, author = {EVANS, LISA and HARRISON, PETE and LAWRENCE, JESSICA and CASELL, JENNY and THIEMANN, DANNY and KIM, JINA}, title = {{COAL ASH PRIMER}}, institution = {Earthjustice}, url = {https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/coal-ash-primer_earthjustice_2023.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }