Great Lakes Now, Poisonous Ponds: Tackling Toxic Coal Ash
PBS Western Reserve (WNEO 45.1 / WEAO 49.1):
Monday, Aug. 29, at 9 PM
Tuesday, Aug. 30, at 2 AM
Friday, Sept. 2, at 5 PM
Fusion (WNEO 45.2 / WEAO 49.2):
Friday, Sept. 2, at 7 PM
In this episode of GREAT LAKES NOW, investigating the complicated policy and impacts of coal ash in the Great Lakes through the student reporting initiative, “Poisonous Ponds: Tackling Toxic Coal Ash.” Coal ash threats on Lake Michigan, ideas for beneficial reuse and more in this special collaboration with Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications.
Coal Ash and Communities
The industrial history of Great Lakes communities was largely fueled by coal, and reminders of the era remain.
Numerous coal ash ponds are located around the region and hold the remains generated by these power sources. Coal ash is toxic, containing mercury, cadmium, arsenic and other heavy metals.
A Tennessee coal ash disaster in 2008 got a lot of people concerned about coal ash: some 7.3 million tons of coal ash went gushing out of an earthen dam covering 300 acres in Kingston. The spill is considered the largest in history, and of the roughly 900 laborers hired to clean up the mess, more than 50 have died.
Could a Tennessee style catastrophe happen at one of these sites in the Great Lakes? The answer is: It already did … but on a smaller scale.
Reuse, Recycle
The United States has been burning coal as a fuel source for more than a century, and for every load of coal burned, a pile of coal ash is left behind.
It’s estimated that more than 2.5 billion tons of coal ash are sitting in landfills and ash ponds across the country. This raises a lot of concern for people who view coal ash as a potentially harmful and toxic material.
The Catch: News about the Lakes You Love
Keep up with the Great Lakes’ biggest issues. Find out how environmental challenges are impacting your enjoyment of the outdoors and the health of the ecosystem. Go beyond the headlines with reporters from around the region. Learn about the lakes you love in Great Lakes Now’s newest segment—The Catch. This month: student reporting about coal ash from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.