As you can see below, this was a reply to a post in this thread. Oddly, the
post I replied to is no longer on the newsgroup.

No need to change the subject line...


"HarryS" wrote in message
news:9Yk9g.146983$oL.5911@attbi_s71...
There are problems with every fuel. I'm not pushing coal (even though
it is plentiful and not radioactive), only saying it is as related to
hydrogen as is nuclear.


AHH, but studies of the emissions from coal plants show clearly that the
amount of radiation vented to the atmosphere from coal plants EXCEEDS
normal annual radiation released from a nuclear plant!!!!

There is a very low level of radioactivity in coal. When you burn ALOT
of it, the radiation gets released. Thorium and uranium are present in
very nearly MINE ABLE quantities in the ash that gets trapped in the
waste pile.

http://www.ornl.gov/info/ornlreview/...t/colmain.html

Do you realize where much of that waste coal ash winds up? It's in most
of the concrete that you buy today. A high percentage of concrete mix
plants (ready mix plants) substitute coal ash (fly ash) for the cement in
the mix. The amount of substitution varies anywhere from 15% to 25%,
depending on where you are located in the U.S. This replacement of cement
in concrete was pushed by the EPA and, for many industries, this
substitution was required years ago. So, your highways, basement walls,
sidewalks, driveways, etc. contain fly ash. The fly ash doesn't always
provide any benefit to the concrete, but if the industries that were
mandated to use it couldn't show that it specifically harmed the concrete
in some way, they are required to use it.

It's also allowed for use as a soil amendment used to change the
compaction characteristics of soil used for fill.

Harry