the second largest industrial waste stream in the u.s. is less regulated than your household trash

Coal-fired power plants generate over 140 million tons of toxic coal ash every year – that’s enough to fill 426,780 Olympic swimming pools! Coal ash is the hazardous waste left over when coal is burned for electricity. It contains a toxic mix of arsenic, lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium and other heavy metals that are known to cause cancer and other health problems. When dumped in unlined ponds or mines, these toxic metals can leach into streams and drinking water.