Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
power plants pollute water from arsenic to zinc
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_COAL_WATER_POLLUTION_GLANCE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2014-01-18-03-23-19More than 50 million pounds of toxic pollutants are being pumped each year into the nation's waterways from fossil fuel power plants, most of them coal, the Environmental Protection Agency says. They include:
- Aluminum: 1.97 million pounds
- Arsenic: 79,200 pounds
- Lead: 64,000 pounds
- Manganese: 14.5 million pounds
- Mercury: 2,820 pounds
- Nitrogen: 30 million pounds
- Phosphorous: 682,000 pounds
- Selenium: 225,000 pounds
- Zinc: 4.99 million pounds
The chemicals are discharged at different levels, with various degrees of potential human and environmental harm dependent on dosages and dilution. The EPA said "discharges of these toxic pollutants are linked to cancer, neurological damage and ecological damage. Many of these toxic pollutants, once in the environment remain there for years."
