RECYCLING AND REUSING COAL ASH

DAN RIVER, VIRGINIA

• In February 2014, more than 80,000 tons of

coal ash spilled into the Dan River in Virginia.

• The amount of coal ash that poured into the

Dan River was equal to the weight of the

Washington Monument aboveground.

YEARLY PRODUCTION

• Every year, the more than 500 coal-fired power

plants in the U.S. produce 140 million tons

of coal ash.

• Millions of tons of coal ash are stored in ponds,

landfills and abandoned mines.

• Most of these disposal sites lack the safeguards

necessary to keep the waste from leaking out.

COAL-FIRED POWER PLANTS AND COAL ASH

are the second largest industrial

waste stream in the country.

HEALTH RISKS

• At least 535 coal ash ponds operate without a

simple liner to prevent toxic chemicals and

heavy metals from leaching into the ground and

nearby water sources.

• People who live within one mile of unlined coal

ash storage ponds can have a one in 50 risk of

cancer.

• Living near a wet coal ash storage pond is more

dangerous to a person’s health than smoking a

pack of cigarettes a day.

COAL ASH GENERALLY CONTAINSarsenic, lead, mercury, selenium,

aluminum, barium, boron

and chlorine.

THERE ARE 1,425 COAL ASH PONDS AND LANDFILLS

in 37 states.

COAL ASH CAN BE RECYCLED

43% of Coal Ash is Recycled in Construction Materials

More than 70 million tons of ash is dumped into pits and landfills

THE RCRA

• Up until the end of 2014, coal ash fell under the

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

of 1976 but was classified as “exempt waste.”

• This left states to decide what to do with the

millions of tons of coal ash generated

each year.

IN 2014 THE EPA ANNOUNCED CHANGES…

…COAL ASH STORAGE PONDS NOWFACE REQUIREMENTS.

VULCAN® SYSTEMS CAN SUPPLY THERMAL DESORPTION UNITS...

…IN ORDER TO REMOVE CONTAMINATES LIKE MERCURY.

VULCAN® SYSTEMS ALSO OFFERS DRYING EQUIPMENT FOR ALL TYPES OF ASH.

REUSE OF COAL ASH

Protects Air and Water Lowers Greenhouse Emissions

VULCAN® SYSTEMS CUSTOM-DESIGNS EQUIPMENT

each system is custom-built to suit

the client’s specific needs.