Even if you follow the EPA’s latest regulations on lining and containing coal ash residues, you can end up dealing with a release that leads to remediation costs and fines. You’re responsible for preventing losses and exposure to the environment, regardless of whether you were already following the regulations or not. So why is coal ash such a risk if it’s accidentally released? Ash may seem harmless enough, but it’s what the material is actually made of that makes it such as issue.
Long Term Soil Impact
The high, heavy metal content in coal ash makes it particularly risky to release into the soil. Soil particles tend to bind heavy metals and hold onto the materials for long periods, which can allow plants to absorb the materials into their leaves and fruit. Crops planted on soil that was contaminated by coal ash runoff can become unsafe to eat due to high levels of lead, cadmium, and even uranium.
Immediate Water Effects
When coal ash slurry and residues escape into open bodies of water or underground groundwater supplies, the effects are more immediate. The various chemical components of the ash tend to trigger the death of microbes in the water that are necessary for maintaining its quality. For above ground, open bodies of water, this can result in algae blooms or massive fish die-off events. Underground water supplies don’t have the lifeforms to signal a problem, but they cause health issues when someone taps that water to drink it without suspecting what’s mixed in. Coal ash can seep through hundreds of feet of soil and rock to eventually seep into water tables serving the wells of hundreds of nearby homes and businesses.
Whether it makes it into the soil, water, or air around the impoundment, coal ash can cause serious health problems in both people and animals. Heavy metals and chemicals aren’t healthy for both short-term and long-term exposure. Keep coal ash far from anyone that might be harmed, by installing impermeable liner materials that won’t allow it to seep or leak out into the surrounding soil. BTL Liners is happy to help provide the liners you need for all coal ash containment applications.
