Data Shows Fly Ash Far from Hazardous

A report analyzing U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) information available concerning coal ash constituents concludes that the concentrations of metals in the material, with few exceptions, are below environmental screening levels for residential soils and similar in concentration to common dirt. Coal Ash Material Safety – A Health Risk-Based Evaluation of USGS Coal Ash Data from Five US Power Plants uses scientific methods to demonstrate that coal ash does not qualify as a hazardous substance based on its composition and should not be classified as hazardous on a human health risk basis. That finding is contrary to claims of environmentalists lobbying for stringent Environmental Protection Agency oversight of coal ash handling and storage.