Is coal ash radioactive?
Radioactivity is present everywhere in North America. Naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) is found in cities, in the mountains and everywhere. The levels of naturally occurring radioactivity will vary in different parts of the country. Some western states have higher levels of NORM than are found in eastern areas. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has published a fact sheet on radioactivity in coal ash “Radioactive Elements in Coal and Fly Ash: Abundance, Forms, and Environmental Significance” which is available through ACAA and can be found under the website page “What are CCPs?” Trace elements in coal include uranium, thorium and the numerous decay products, including radium and radon. However, this USGS pamphlet concludes the “Radioactive elements in coal and fly ash should not be sources of alarm. The vast majority of coal and the majority of fly ash are not significantly enriched with radioactive elements, or in associated radioactivity, compared to common soi
Radioactivity is present everywhere in North America. Naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) is found in cities, in the mountains and everywhere. The levels of naturally occurring radioactivity will vary in different parts of the country. Some western states have higher levels of NORM than are found in eastern areas. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has published a fact sheet on radioactivity in coal ash “Radioactive Elements in Coal and Fly Ash: Abundance, Forms, and Environmental Significance” which is available through ACAA and can be found under the website page “What are CCPs?” Trace elements in coal include uranium, thorium and the numerous decay products, including radium and radon. However, this USGS pamphlet concludes the “Radioactive elements in coal and fly ash should not be sources of alarm.
