Ash from brown coal generating station
Spremberg, Germany

Coal ash is known to contain numerous toxins such as lead, mercury, arsenic,
chromium, uranium, boron, and others. When mixed with water, these can percolate
down to contaminate the water table below.

2015 Releases European Environmental Agency
Carbon dioxide (CO2)       12,300,000 t
Arsenic (as As)       26.2 kg
Cadmium (as Cd)       18.1 kg
Chromium (as Cr)       141 kg
Copper (as Cu)       148 kg
Mercury (as Hg)       339 kg
Nickel (as Ni)       263 kg
Particulate matter (PM10)       58.7 t
Nitrogen oxides (NOx/NO2)       5810 t
Sulphur oxides (SOx/SO2)       9240 t
Chlorine (as HCl)       167 t
Nitrous oxide (N2O)       133 t
Carbon monoxide (CO)       1350 t