Almost two decades later, dust and runoff from this coal ash continues to spread toxic and radioactive pollution in rural communities along the island’s south coast. In a nutshell:In Salinas, Puerto Rico, coal ash, a byproduct of a power plant in Guayama, was used for road construction, raising environmental and health concerns. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency did not regulate coal ash in roads until 2015, and power companies were exempt from responsibility. “At numerous sites, the coal ash was left uncovered or covered only with a thin layer of dirt, which quickly eroded,” the report said. Too often toxic coal ash, a byproduct of coal-fired power, ends up in poor, minority communities.

Source: The Guardian October 11, 2023 17:02 UTC