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The Problem of Coal Waste Sludge
- After coal is mined, companies often wash it using chemicals and water to remove slate and dirt particles.
- Coal sludge (slurry) contains chemicals used during washing and heavy metals such as mercury, lead & arsenic.
- The waste is impounded behind earthen dams or in abandoned underground mines, which may contain billions of gallons.
- Impoundments are not lined, so the sludge has a direct path to soil and water.
Past Problems
- February 26, 1972. Buffalo Creek disaster. Failure of a Pittston sludge dam killed 125 people, destroyed 1000 homes.
- October 11, 2000. Martin County disaster. Floor of Martin County Coal's impoundment partially failed. Over 300 million gallons of sludge buried 75 miles of waterway. EPA called it the “worst-ever environmental disaster” in the Southeast.
- The rate of failures is approximately ten times that for conventional water retention dams.” -scientist Michael Davies.
Sludge Impoundment Locations in WV
Source: WVDEP, 2002
Up to date recorded sludge impoundments in West Virginia: www.coalimpoundment.org
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