Final answer:
The environmental costs associated with the use of coal include particulate emissions, land degradation from mining, and transportation. The creation of highly radioactive waste is not a direct environmental cost.
Step-by-step explanation:
The environmental costs associated with the use of coal include several negative impacts. These include the release of particulates into the atmosphere when coal is burned, degradation to land due to mining techniques, and the transportation of coal from the mine to the power plant. However, the creation of highly radioactive waste is not a direct environmental cost associated with the use of coal. It is important to note that while coal itself does not produce highly radioactive waste, it can be stored in coal ash, which may contain trace amounts of radioactive materials.