Toxic ash is a byproduct of burning coal used to create electricity. The North Carolina toxic exposure lawyers at HensonFuerst explain coal ash can contain many heavy metals that are harmful to humans, including arsenic, lead, and mercury.
Despite the risks toxic coal ash can pose to the public, a moratorium on the use of coal ash as filler in construction projects in North Carolina was lifted this month.
An article from WRAL News explains that the Coal Ash Management Act was passed last year and not only requires our state’s power plants to remove or cap all coal ash dumps by 2029, but also established regulations on the use of coal ash as structural fill on certain construction sites.
The law also imposed a moratorium on this particular use of coal ash until additional regulations could be passed, but state legislators failed to create these rules in time. That means the state’s previous laws go back into effect, which offers the public little protection from the risks of contaminated water and soil.
The moratorium can be reenacted at any point, but lawmakers have yet to take action.
Protecting the public from environmental risks should be a top priority of our state’s representatives, and our North Carolina personal injury attorneys are hopeful better rules and regulations on the use of coal ash at construction sites can be implemented soon.