Coal ash rarely used as structural fill in NC
Millions of cubic yards of coal ash that was supposed to be used for construction projects are being stored on private sites across North Carolina, posing a health risk to communities.
The Raleigh News & Observer reports the waste was being dumped into creeks, wetlands and vacant fields.
Private ash sites were originally proposed for construction use, such as building an airstrip or a parking lot. But construction didn't always take place and now the sites have more coal ash than they could use.
There are more than 70 ash sites in the state, holding about 11 million cubic yards of ash.
Over the years, the state environmental agency has cited some of those sites for violations, including being placed too close to water sources and creating dust clouds.