Take action to request tighter controls on coal ash

The solid waste left over from burning coal is called coal combustion waste, part of which is called coal ash. Despite being dangerous to human health, coal ash is not currently considered hazardous waste. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is considering recognizing the waste as hazardous, which would force power plants to dispose of it in ways that protect the health of nearby residents.

Coal-burning power plants produce approximately 131 million tons of coal ash per year, making coal ash the second largest U.S. industrial waste stream. Currently, the federal government allows states to regulate coal ash disposal. In Kentucky, state coal ash disposal regulations do little to protect the public from exposure to coal ash toxins.

How is coal ash created?

The air leaving power plant stacks after coal is burned is filtered to limit air pollution, creating a more solid form of waste. This waste is combined with the residue from coal boilers to make what is called coal combustion waste. The ashy part of the waste, called coal ash, contains concentrated pollutants, including many toxins known to cause cancer in humans.

How is coal ash disposed of in Kentucky?

Threats from coal ash ponds remain for generations. Peak pollution occurs between 78 to 105 years after ash pond operation begins.

In Kentucky, coal ash is typically mixed with water and channeled into a pond on-site at the power plant. Many of these ponds were constructed without the consultation of an engineer and do not contain lining to prevent toxins from the ash from seeping into the ground. This "wet storage" method is the cheapest way to dispose of coal ash.

The 1.1 billion gallons of coal ash from Tennessee's Kingston Plant that recently spilled into the Emory River resulted from a wet storage pond break.

How much coal ash is stored in Kentucky?

According to the EPA, there are 44 coal ash ponds in Kentucky - the second highest number in the nation after Indiana. Seven ponds in the state have been categorized by the EPA as "high hazard", including sites in Louisa, Harrodsburg, Ghent and Louisville. Out of the 100 coal-burning plants that produce the largest amount of coal ash in the nation, Kentucky houses 10.

Why is coal ash hazardous?

Coal ash waste contains toxic chemicals and heavy metals such as arsenic and lead – pollutants that cause cancer, birth defects, reproductive problems, damage to the nervous system and kidneys, and learning disabilities in children.  Kentucky coal-burning plants generate a total of 8.5 million tons of this waste every year.  Proposed plants in Kentucky, including EKPC's Smith 1 plant, would generate 400,000 additional tons of coal ash annually.

What can you do to improve the safety of coal ash disposal?

Call today to request tighter controls on coal ash disposal. Ask decision-makers to define coal as as hazardous and not give into coal industry demands on this very important issue. The EPA requested comments on this issue late last year and did not receive many public responses.

(202) 395-3080 - U.S. Office of Management and Budget

(202) 564-4700 - Lisa Jackson, EPA director

Also be sure to take action to oppose EKPC's Smith 1 plant. Click here for more information.