US Update

US Update

14th March 2006

A new report, commissioned by the US Congress, recommends coping with the fast-growing problem of coal ash (fly ash) from power plants, by dumping it in mines. Already in the US nearly 40% of these potentially toxic wastes are incorporated into cement and industrial products; most of the remainder goes into landfill.

Now the industry, backed by the National Academies (NA), is claiming that using coal ash as mine "infill" constitutes "reclamation".

Yet, admittedly little is known about the potential mine in-filling has, to adversely impact ground and surface waters over long time periods. So, the NA assessed potential risks by examining data on adverse environmental effects from surface impoundments and landfill sites. (Rather - one might think - like using mice to assess toxicity in humans.)

Not surprisingly, the NA has found that adverse environmental impacts can occur when coal ash containing toxic chemicals has "contact with water or when the residues are not properly covered." So it's recommending that minefills are designed to "minimise" movement of water through residues.

This hardly seems adequate - let alone in conformity with the basic precautionary principle.

Nor does it square with the urgent necessity to reclaim existing coal mines, and clean up existing watersheds: a measure which could cost nearly US$4 billion in Pennsylvania alone.

The Western Shoshone have secured a victory at the United Nations in their decades-long struggle to prevent the US federal government and mining companies ravaging their treaty land, across four states. The government now has until mid-July to report back on the action it has taken.

In southern California, four men have been convicted of "recycling" aluminium - twice over in some cases! The verdict is meant to send a signal to others tempted to commit similar frauds.

However, one might ask whether the alumininum industry itself hasn't been guilty, over many years, of a confidence trick - by claiming that it's squeaky "green."