‘Extremely concerned’ | Risky arsenic, radium levels found in coal ash near Mooresville daycare

Now alerted to WCNC Charlotte’s results, Duke Energy refuses to answer questions on-camera.

“Duke Energy’s sales of ash were conducted in accordance with state regulations in place at the time, which set out how ash could be used in ways that are safe for people and the environment,” utility spokesperson Bill Norton said, repeating prior talking points. “Property owners retain full responsibility for maintenance to ensure ongoing compliance with state regulations. Our involvement in this project ended decades ago.”

The agency has not revealed, at WCNC Charlotte’s request, what specific guidance regulators have shared with Tutor Time. In August, DEQ helped with a visual inspection of the day care. Tutor Time said that visit by state regulators found “no risk to children.”

“They need to do more than a visual inspection,” Dr. Vengosh said. “The impact is not immediate. It could be a five, seven years gap between exposure to actually the occurrence of the health impact.”

NCDHHS also declined WCNC Charlotte’s interview request, referring questions about a specific site back to DEQ. However, the health agency warned of coal ash’s potential health risks.

“(Coal ash) is made of fine sand (called silica), unburned carbon and various metals such as arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, selenium, mercury, nickel and zinc,” the agency said in an email. “Many of these substances may be harmful to humans depending on the amount and duration of contact…In the long term, some of the compounds found in coal ash can cause cancer after continued ingestion and inhalation.”