Should we be worried about fly ash?

Since last fall the Washington Post has reported on a growing controversey in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, where Constellation Energy has been dumping fly ash at numerous sites within the county. Fly ash is a soot-like substance that used to fly out of power plant chimneys. Now, it's trapped and removed. Enterprising power companies have turned it into a product, selling it for a cement additive, and as a fill material.

But according to the Post's series of articles, environemtalists have sounded alarm bells over the possibility that fly ash, buried in the ground, is contaminating ground water.

Last October, Maryland officials ordered Constellation Energy and the owner of an Anne Arundel dumpsite to pay a $1 million penalty and clean up groundwater contaminated by fly ash dumping in Anne Arundel County. Anne Arundel officials have clamped a ban on future fly ash dumps.

Well, it's got to go somewhere, and energy companies now appear to have their sights set on Virginia. According to a Post report, some of that fly ash is being dumped in King George County, on the Northern Neck's western border. Is this cause for concern? It may be.

Environmentalists say dumping fly ash where it can seep into ground water is an environmental disaster waiting to happen. Fly ash contains lead, mercury, arsenic, selenium and other toxic metals. Most residents of the Northern Neck get their water from wells. This is a trend to keep an eye on.

Our thanks to NNT reader Marilyn Susa for alerting us to this issue.

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