Investigators Find Arsenic At 372 Times EPA Maximum Limits In Groundwater At PA Coal Ash Dump

[hatrack]

PITTSBURGH—New data shows arsenic at levels 372 times greater than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's threshold for safety in groundwater an hour northwest of Pittsburgh. The cancer-causing pollutant is leaching from a former coal ash landfill at the New Castle Generating Station, according to a new report. Of the 265 power plants throughout the U.S. that are investigated in the report, New Castle Generating Station ranked number five of the 10 most contaminated sites.

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The researchers discovered arsenic levels of 3,724 micrograms per liter in groundwater at the New Castle Generating Station site—enough to cause cancer in one out of six people exposed to that level of the pollutant. The EPA's maximum contaminant level used under the Safe Drinking Water Act is 10 micrograms per liter. Exposure to arsenic can cause leukemia and lymphoma, cancer of the skin, stomach, and kidneys, and result in lower IQs in children.

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New Castle Generating Station was previously a coal-fired power station, which was converted to natural gas in 2016. The new report states that the plant is owned by NRG Energy, but a spokesperson for NRG told EHN the site has been owned and operated by GenOn Energy (previously known as Reliant Energy) since December 2018. GenOn was acquired by NRG in 2012, but later transitioned back into a standalone company. A spokesperson for GenOn did not return EHN's requests for comment.

Data also showed boron, cobalt, lithium and molybdenum in groundwater at the site at levels exceeding safety thresholds. Boron exposure has been linked to reproductive health issues in animals. Lithium exposure can cause damage to the kidneys, while cobalt exposure is linked to cancer and thyroid disorders, and molybdenum exposure has been linked to joint issues. "These are the pollutants most prevalently associated with coal ash," Russ said. The report found that coal ash is leaching into groundwater near at least nine other power plants throughout Pennsylvania, and over 200 sites throughout the U.S.

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https://www.dailyclimate.org/arsenic-levels-high-enough-to-cause-cancer-in-1-out-of-6-people-have-been-detected-in-western-pennsylvania-groundwater-2630807738.html

[Firestorm49]

1. I'm sure if they tried a little harder, they could up that contaminant number up much higher.