Improvements in coal-burning filtering systems have made the smoke that passes into the air from smokestacks far less toxic than in years past. Meaning, the toxins that once escaped into the air we breathe now settles into the ash that is left behind. That ash is stored in wet or dry landfills at hundreds of facilities across the country. Much of that waste is recycled and used as filler in other products.

But tests have shown that coal ash contains a variety of dangerous materials, such as arsenic, lead, chromium, manganese and barium – products which have been associated with serious health concerns such as cancer, liver damage and neurological complications. Which has made many question whether the byproducts widely used in homes, schools, golf courses and even produce farms, can be harmful to humans.

As long as utilities continue to burn fossil fuels and reap profits from the sale of byproducts, the answer may continue to elude public knowledge.

View a clip from the 60 Minutes investigative report.

SOURCE: Coal Ash Spill › 60 Minutes report questions safety of coal ash byproducts