Downwind and Downstream

A FILM SERIES ABOUT THE HARMFUL IMPACTS OF COAL ASH

COAL ASH: The hazardous waste left after coal is burned. Coal ash contains concentrated amounts
of arsenic, mercury, lead and other toxic metals. These toxins are known to cause cancer, respiratory
illness, organ disease and birth defects. The United States produces over 140 million tons of coal ash
every year, making it the 2nd largest industrial waste stream in the United States. There are over two
thousand coal ash disposal sites across the country and hundreds of these disposal sites are harming
communities, poisoning water resources, and severely damaging ecosystems. Despite the widespread
contamination, very little has been done to protect public health and the environment from coal ash.