Coal Ash Solutions
What is coal ash and why is it a problem?
When coal is burned, the ash left behind contains toxic heavy metals like arsenic, cobalt, chromium, lead, radium, and mercury. See a full list of contaminants and their health effects. The problems with coal ash include:
- When coal ash gets wet, it contaminates water. Download Our Waters at Risk, Part 2.
- When coal ash is dry and gets into the air, it creates a breathing hazard.
- There is a lot of coal ash.
- U.S. coal plants generated about 5 billion tons of coal ash over the last 100 years (Source: American Coal Ash Association, 2020 CCP Production and Use Survey Report.)
- Power plants in Indiana make about 5 million tons of coal ash per year. (Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration data for 2020 - 2022.)
March 2025 Update: EPA and Governor’s actions affect Indiana’s coal ash problems
Coal Ash in Indiana
Hoosier Environmental Council’s work on coal ash receives generous support from the Energy Foundation, the McKinney Family Foundation, and the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust, as well as our individual donors.
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