Coal power is a major cause of air pollution and global warming and has resulted in the release of toxic heavy metals and radionuclides, which place communities at risk for long-term health problems. However, coal-fired power plants also currently fuel 41% of global electricity.

PrefaceAbout the Author1 Air Pollution 1.1 Overview 1.2 The National Emissions Inventory 1.3 Criteria Air Pollutants 1.3.1 Carbon Monoxide 1.3.2 Lead 1.3.3 Nitrogen Dioxide 1.3.4 Particulate Matter 1.3.5 Ozone 1.3.6 Sulfur Dioxide 1.3.7 NAAQS 1.4 Comparing Emissions 1.4.1 National Emissions Inventory 1.4.2 Toxics Release Inventory 1.5 Mercury Releases2 Solid Wastes 2.1 Overview 2.2 Coal Combustion Byproducts 2.3 Regulations 2.4 Origins and General Properties of Fly Ash 2.5 Flue-Gas Desulfurization Material 2.6 Toxic Heavy Metals Found in Fly Ashes 2.7 Beneficial Ash Characteristics and Markets 2.8 Radioactive Constituents3 Old and New Generation Technologies 3.1 Overview 3.2 Stoker-Fired Coal Combustion 3.3 Pulverized-Coal Combustion 3.4 Cyclone Coal Combustion 3.5 Fluidized-Bed Combustion 3.5.1 Pressurized Fluidized-Bed Combustion Systems 3.6 Gasification 3.7 Comparing Energy Costs 4 Carbon Capture and Sequestration 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Factors Influencing GHG Emissions 4.3 Emissions Trading Scheme 4.4 Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Technologies 4.4.1 Safety and Environmental Setbacks 4.4.2 Recycling and New Markets 4.5 Commercial Status 4.6 Improving Efficiencies5 The TVA Ash Spill 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Facility Background 5.3 Coal Sources and Quantities 5.4 Solid Waste Storage 5.5 Ash Analysis 5.6 The Spill 5.7 Facility Environmental Footprint 5.8 Airborne Releases from the Spill Incident 5.9 Exceedances and Excursions 5.10 Toxins Released 5.11 An Estimate of the Releases to Air 5.12 Industry-Wide ProblemRecommended SourcesGlossaryIndex