A December 2008 Tennessee coal-ash spill has sparked concern in North Carolina over the use of coal-ash as structural fill. The NC Sierra Club is the leading the fight for tighter regulations on the use of ash, including limiting disposal sites to lined landfills. Although the proposed restriction would minimize concern for groundwater contamination, it would increase the amount of ash that needs to be disposed of, as the restriction would exclude ash from use in concrete and cement products.
The Sierra Report states that NC used over 800,000 tons of ash last year to fill gullies, roadbeds and building sites. Groundwater contamination is of particular concern because coal-ash can contain traces of toxic metals such as aresenic, lead, chromium, manganese, mercury, barium and cadmium. According to the report, over half of the 48 inspected sites are in violation of current regulations. A lack of funding stands in the way of establishing a routine enforcement process; however, regular inspections are needed to determine the full scope of potential consequences.
Written By Brittney Edwards
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