Coal contains minute quantities of radioactive materials?

Question

Coal contains minute quantities of radioactive materials, yet there is more enviornmental radiation outside a coal-fired power plant than outside a fission power plant. What does this tell you about the shielding that typically surrounds these power plants?

Answer 1

I have heard that there are traces of radioactive elements in coal that get released into the air when the coal is burned, but I never heard that there is more environmental radiation outside a coal-fired power plant than outside a fission power plant. If by that you mean right next to the plants, then I would question that statement and want to see some proof, like radiation counts at various locations.

Answer 2

The shielding that surrounds a nuclear power plant is quite good, but one can stand inside of a nuke plant and be relatively radiation-free as well. The bulk of the radiation stays inside the pressure vessel. You are quite correct that the radiation levels around coal plants are much higher than nuke power plants because nuke plants don't emit any radiation (except chernobyl, because of idiotic people).

Answer 3

Industry does not concider coal to be a nucleur fuel so there is no effort to treat it as such. In America, laws are made by lawyers and influenced by businessmen. Scientists are largly excluded except when one interest group wants to back up an emotional arguement with a few convienient facts.