TVA reported that it sells about a third of the 7 million tons of toxic material it generates at its coal plants each year. Those who purchase the coal byproducts say using it can reduce cost and improve quality of concrete.

However, critics worry about the safety of coal ash in the environment. Coal ash contains dangerous toxins, including arsenic, lead, chromium, manganese and barium. Those materials carry potential health problems such as cancer, liver damage and neurological complications, which has heightened concerns of environmentalists and those living in the east Tennessee neighborhood where the spill occurred.

A TVA marketing spokesperson says that up to 70 percent of coal ash is made up of silica, or sand. Twenty percent is aluminum compounds and the remaining 10 percent is sulfur and iron, arguing that the toxicity is minimal and in such small concentrations that it should not be harmful. Mike McDonald with the American Coal Ash Association added that coal ash “is about as toxic as dirt.”

A congressional committee meets this week to discuss federal regulation of coal byproducts.

SOURCE: Coal Ash Spill › TVA sells coal ash to companies for building supplies, crop soil

Crops in the Southeast and Midwest are grown in soil that has been routinely supplemented with tons of fly ash. Some of the more common crops grown in this amended soil include a variety of vegetables and peanuts.

Fly ash is a fine powder that is recovered from gases created by the burning of coal. Supplementing soil with the fly ash increases crop yields and stabilizes soil, and lessens the burden on landfills. The fly ash also provides phosphorus, calcium and other nutrients that aide in crops’ growth. It also helps the soil retain water.

However, fly ash also contains toxins, including arsenic, that if used in high levels can soak into crops and become hazardous. Coal ash is not classified as a hazardous waste by the Environmental Protection Agency and thus is not federally supervised for use in agriculture. Some states do regulate it but guidelines vary from state to state and there is little to no monitoring of its use, according to the report. Environmentalists fear that inadequate monitoring could lead to overuse of fly ash and possible toxic accumulation, which may ultimately harm human health.

The U.S. currently produces 130 million tons of coal combustion waste each year. Experts say as more coal burning is needed to increase demand, that number could likely increase to 150 million tons in a decade.

SOURCE: Coal Ash Spill › Environmentalists worry about safety of fly ash supplementing crop soil