Health effects of coal ash
[3] In the composition of coal, there are many potentially hazardous substances that, if found at elevated concentration in inhaled particles, can cause major health problems in humans.
[4][5] Such constituents that are found at various concentrations in coal ash are arsenic, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, lead, lithium, mercury, molybdenum, selenium, thallium and uranium.
[7] Coal ash contains many toxic substances that may affect human health, if people are exposed to them above a certain concentration in the form of particulate matter.
[4] Coal ash dust health effects can be considered as a particular case of exposure to particulate matter (particle pollution).
Regarding the health of workers, the ACGIH[clarification needed] publishes annually a booklet with tables presenting threshold level values (TLV's) - maximal concentrations allowed - for a wide range of substances and materials.
High levels of chromium (VI) in drinking water can cause ulcers in the small intestine and stomach when ingested.
[5] Furthermore, low levels of arsenic exposure can cause irregular heartbeats, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, peripheral neuropathy and vision impairment.
[5] When mercury is inhaled or ingested various health effects can occur such as vision impairment, seizures, numbness, memory loss and sleeplessness.
[4] In addition, exposure to silica over a period of time can cause loss of appetite, poor oxygen circulation, breathing complications and fever.
The agency continued to classify coal ash as non-hazardous (thereby avoiding strict permitting requirements under RCRA Subtitle C), but with new restrictions: In 2016, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit vacated the "early closure" provisions in the regulation at 40 CFR 257.100.
EPA then extended the compliance date for inactive ponds that attempted to utilize the early closure provisions.
The court ruled that EPA failed to adequately address the problems with unlined ponds, many of which continue to leak into groundwater.
[21] In 2019, the court agreed to a voluntary remand while allowing the 2020 compliance deadline for unlined ponds to stay in effect, pending further rulemaking.
Some facilities may apply to obtain additional time—up to 2028—to find alternatives for managing ash wastes before closing their surface impoundments.
