Coal Combustion Waste

Spremberg, Germany

Many toxic elements are found in coal. Some vaporize and go up the chimney, others become concentrated in the solid wastes, particularly arsenic, chromium, lead, mercury, and selenium, which can contaminate groundwater.Lignite accounts for 25% of German electricity production and provides about 20,000 jobs. But it pollutes our air and adds to the climate crisis that we pass on to the next generations.Sustainable energy sources are on the brink of being able to satisfy our demand. Wind energy employs 142,900 people and provides 12.3% of Germany’s electricity. If priorities were shifted from coal to wind, those jobs could easily be moved and more created cleaning up the toxic remains from coal combustion.