CompuServe Messages

Boris, No, radioactivity vented by coal fired power plants is mostly radon and polonium (a daughter of radon). The rocks surrounding the (relatively) porous coal deposits contain uranium and thorium, which outgas radon continuously. Radon then collects in the coal, where it decays. The problem is that we burn so much coal that we liberate substantial quantities of these radioisotopes. It's strong enough that you can find 2x to 3x background just by walking around in a coal yard with a survey meter. – Norm