Coal storage yards have traditionally been left in the open. Fuel stocks can extend over many acres and, in some cases, the stockpiles shift in shape as material is brought in and pushed around with heavy moving equipment. A typical power plant may stock 300,000t of fuel in yards extending over 4.5-ha. But open-air fuel stocks produce pollution. Wind and rain carry fine particles into the atmosphere, as well as into harbours, streams and aquifers. Exposure to direct sunlight produces a threat of spontaneous combustion that could release uncontrolled smoke.
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