Originally published at EnviroKnow.com
Greenhouse gas emissions aside, dealing with coal ash is yet another massive problem associated with coal-fired power plants. The repercussions of December's massive Kingston spill are still being determined. To that end, Appalachian Voices has just released data from their testing of the Emory River. The results are not pretty:
Total recoverable metals water testing results from Emory River mile 2.2, where ash clogs the river, revealed arsenic levels were 260 times the allowable amounts in drinking water. Lead measured 16 times higher than the drinking water standard while barium and cadmium were three times higher. Selenium measured 1.9 times higher than the Tennessee acute aquatic life criteria and 7.6 times higher than the Tennessee chronic aquatic life criteria.
Ever wonder what happens when human beings are exposed to arsenic?
Long-term exposure to arsenic in drinking water can cause cancer in the skin, lungs, bladder and kidney. It can also cause other skin changes such as thickening and pigmentation. The likelihood of effects is related to the level of exposure to arsenic and in areas where drinking water is heavily contaminated, these effects can be seen in many individuals in the population.
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Soluble inorganic arsenic can have immediate toxic effects. Ingestion of large amounts can lead to gastrointestinal symptoms such as severe vomiting, disturbances of the blood and circulation, damage to the nervous system, and eventually death. When not deadly, such large doses may reduce blood cell production, break up red blood cells in the circulation, enlarge the liver, color the skin, produce tingling and loss of sensation in the limbs, and cause brain damage.
In addition to the host of problems associated with burning coal, as well as the deleterious effects of mountaintop removal, storing and transporting the byproducts of burning coal is a daunting task prone to environmentally disastrous spills. These spills are literally poisoning the water we drink and the food we eat. It is shameful, and frankly pretty damn embarrassing, for the United States to be so dependent on the dirtiest energy source on the planet in the 21st century.
Sadly, the main thing getting in the way of reducing use of coal in the United States is the influence of the coal lobby. The lack of coverage meaningful coverage from corporate media obscures the issue so it doesn't get the attention it deserves. When it comes down to it, I'm with Al Gore:
I can't understand why there aren't rings of young people blocking bulldozers, and preventing them from constructing coal-fired power plants.
Here are some additional resources: