General Discussion

hunter

(40,696 posts)

19. Unlike the toxic waste from coal?

Sat Apr 18, 2015, 12:16 AM

Apr 2015

Coal waste is carelessly thrown about in our environment, but would otherwise have to be "babysat" forever in a reasonable world.

Coal wastes like arsenic and mercury have a "half life" of forever, and they are not the sort of thing you want in your food, no more so than radioactive cesium. Furthermore, coal waste contains other "natural" radioactive stuff including uranium and thorium which have very long half lives.

Some seafood labels, at least here in California, warn of mercury in fish, explaining it's bad for pregnant women and children. That mercury comes from coal.

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Coal versus Nuclear [View all] RobertEarl Apr 2015 OP

Coal doesn't require 50,000 years to biodegrade like nuclear waste. Cleita Apr 2015 #1

Yep RobertEarl Apr 2015 #2

Also coal can be replaced with solar wind and other renewables so Cleita Apr 2015 #5

Nuclear power is awesome, but it's Fission, Fusion reactors will be ultimate greatness! snooper2 Apr 2015 #3

Centralia Pennsylvania... hunter Apr 2015 #4

Except this isn't a example of why coal power plants are bad. Lancero Apr 2015 #11

Um, why was the coal mined? hunter Apr 2015 #13

As I pointed out in my post, given the time period it was for the steel industry. Lancero Apr 2015 #18

Okay. hunter Apr 2015 #20

Here is one, Cheshire,Ohio was bougt out by AEP because of Power plant pollution mackdaddy Apr 2015 #15

Do you have any comprehension of the amount of radiation emitted... SidDithers Apr 2015 #6

No more than he has any scientific comprehension about anything. hobbit709 Apr 2015 #7

Link or slink RobertEarl Apr 2015 #10

We actually shouldn't do either. Cleita Apr 2015 #8

Don't be silly Sid... FBaggins Apr 2015 #14

... NuclearDem Apr 2015 #9

nuclear power isn't the problem, unsafe boiling water reactors based on 60's tech is the problem Amishman Apr 2015 #12

The cumulative negative effects on Earth of coal Takket Apr 2015 #16

No. RobertEarl Apr 2015 #17

Unlike the toxic waste from coal? hunter Apr 2015 #19

This is why RobertEarl Apr 2015 #21