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Sulfur and coal waste piles Coal waste piles give off gasses. It smells like what can be described as Dante's inferno. The gas that can be smelled is sulfur oxide which is released when the iron sulfates in the waste stream decay. Sulfur oxide gas can combine with water to create sulfuric acid. Barns located downwind of a huge coal mine waste pile were affected by this acid and paint was removed from the barn surfaces. Farmers complained of burning skin and eyes during days of high humidity. No one knows what the long term effects will be on the lungs and nasal passages. However, many of the farmers complained of sinus problems and persistent colds. |