When coal is burned, highly radioactive elements are released into the atmosphere. Coal fire plants release more radioactive contamination into the atmosphere than nuclear power plants.
http://www.ornl.gov/info/ornlreview/rev26-34/text/colmain.html
2007-08-16 10:12:00 · 5 answers · asked by PD 6 in Environment ➔ Global Warming
That is correct.
Almost all coal contains unusually high concentrations of uranium (as much as 200 ppm U) and other metals, because coal is a very strong reductant and can "fix" trace amounts of metals from natural groundwaters before its mined. When the coal is burned, the uranium is released into the atmosphere, and some stays behind in radioactive coal ash.
Now that isn't necessarily a concern for alarm, as we are exposed to gamma radiation from many sources including the sun every second of our lives. What is alarming is people's unfounded fear of nuclear power plants - which release less radiation than coal fired electricity generating plants!
With uranium currently at over US$100/lb, some coal waste is being considered as a resource for uranium extraction, where the uranium could be used to fuel emission-free nuclear power plants.
My only disagreement with your question might be the use of "highly radioactive." Over 99% of natural uranium is the isotope U-238 which has a half-life of 4.5 billion years, hardly what I'd call highly radioactive and certainly not harmful.
2007-08-16 10:26:42 · answer #1 · answered by minefinder 7 · 5⤊ 1⤋
Radioactive waste? Hardly.
You get more radioactive exposure from sitting on a porcelain toilet than from any coal power plant. Other everyday items emitting radiation are ceramic tiles, cat litter, and your own bones.
The fact that coal plants release more radiation than nuclear plants indicates just how little a nuclear plant emits.
2007-08-16 21:22:04 · answer #2 · answered by M M 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
That is true. It is very small amount and well below any health standards. There are many more bad things in coal plant emmissions that you should worry about.
Radioactivity and radiation is a natural part of out environment. All things radioactive are not bad.
2007-08-16 19:27:38 · answer #3 · answered by GABY 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
To say nothing of mercury. Coal fired power plants are the number one man made source of mercury pollution.
Which is why compact fluorescent light bulbs reduce mercury pollution. They contain a tiny amount of mercury, but it's less than what they prevent from being released by burning less fossil fuels.
2007-08-16 17:42:40 · answer #4 · answered by Bob 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
It's just trace amounts that are found naturally in the soil. Still, yes, it's more than what nuclear power plants release.
2007-08-16 17:17:42 · answer #5 · answered by Dr Jello 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋