Coal-ash spills highlight ongoing risk to ecosystems

Journal Article · Fri May 01 00:00:00 EDT 2009 · Environmental Science and Technology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/es9006977· OSTI ID:21187031

Chatterjee, R

Two recent large-scale spills of coal combustion waste have highlighted the old problem of handling the enormous quantity of solid waste produced by coal. Both spills happened at power plants run by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). In December 2008 a holding pond for coal ash collapsed at a power plant in Kingstom, Tenn., releasing coal-ash sludge onto farmland and into rivers: in January 2009 a break in a pipe removing water from a holding pond for gypsum caused a spill at Widows Creek Fossil Plant in Stevenson, Ala. The article discusses the toxic outcome of such disasters on ecosystems, quoting work by Willaim Hopkins at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and recommendations and reports of the US EPA. 2 photos.

• OSTI ID: 21187031
• Journal Information: Environmental Science and Technology, Vol. 43, Issue 9; ISSN 0013-936X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
COAL
ASHES
SETTLING PONDS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
LEACHING
WASTE MANAGEMENT
GYPSUM
PIPES
FAILURES
USA
FISHES
SELENIUM
WATER POLLUTION
TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY
US EPA
RIVERS
TOXICITY
MORTALITY
MATERIALS HANDLING
WASTE DISPOSAL
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
CONTAMINATION