"MIAMI - High levels of radioactive contaminants have been found in coal ash in major coal-producing regions of the United States, raising concern about the dangers of this unregulated waste, researchers said Wednesday.

'Levels of radioactivity in the ash were up to five times higher than in normal soil, and up to 10 times higher than in the parent coal itself because of the way combustion concentrates radioactivity,' said the study in the September 2 edition of the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Science and Technology.

Coal ash is currently unregulated and is stored in holding ponds and landfills near coal-fired power plants, which are blamed for much of the fossil fuel pollution that is leading to climate change."

AFP had the story September 2, 2015. [2]