 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|
|||||||||||
Utilization
Currently, close to a billion tons of coal is burned annually to generate electricity in the United States, and as a result, nearly 130 million tons of coal combustion byproducts (CCBs) are produced. One-third of these CCBs are utilized, while the rest are disposed of mainly in landfills. Increasing costs and heightened regulations are making the disposal of CCBs an undesirable option. Utilization of CCBs as raw materials results in numerous benefits, including:
-
A decrease in the demand for landfill space.
-
Conservation of natural resources.
-
A cleaner and safer environment.
-
Reduced carbon dioxide emissions.
-
Significant economic savings for end users.
-
A boost in economic development.
-
Reduced overall cost of generating electricity.
The environmental compatibility, abundance, availability, and economy of CCBs translate into benefits for industry. Industries benefit through significant cost savings without sacrificing product quality. In fact, the properties of CCBs are such that, in many applications, they improve the product. In engineering construction materials, coal ash can add value and enhance strength and durability while reducing cost. In agricultural applications, gypsum-rich products can provide plant nutrients and improve the tilth of depleted soils over large areas of the country. In waste stabilization, the cementitious and pozzolanic properties of these products can immobilize hazardous nuclear, organic, and toxic metal wastes for safe and effective environmental disposal.
An outlook on the future of coal ash utilization can be found in the July/August 2003 issue of Electric Perspectives The Outlook for CCP article provides an overview of the coal ash industry and discusses issues and challenges facing coal ash stakeholders.