Standard Guide for Harvesting Coal Combustion Products Stored in Active and Inactive Storage Areas for Beneficial Use

Importancia y uso:

4.1 Purpose—This guide provides a process for reclamation of existing CCPs placed in active and inactive storage areas. The guide includes information on the following activities required for the safe and effective reclamation of CCPs from storage areas: (1) Background Review of CCP Storage Areas; (2) Detailed Characterization of CCP Storage Areas; (3) Harvesting Planning and Scoping of CCP Storage Areas; (4) Harvesting Detailed Design and Approval of CCP Storage Areas; and (5) Harvesting Implementation of CCP Storage Areas. More detailed descriptions of these activities are in Sections 6 through 10.

4.2 Potential Beneficial Uses of CCPs—There are many CCP storage areas that are potentially harvestable and can provide a functional benefit in a wide variety of beneficial uses. The beneficial use of CCPs contained in these storage areas can have significant environmental and economic benefits for the facility, the facility owner and the local economy, and can significantly reduce disposal operations (1-4).4 Beneficial use of CCPs can provide industry with a safe and responsible way to economically manage the CCPs, while promoting conservation and recycling/reuse, meeting sustainability goals, and addressing the shortage of CCPs in some building product market areas (1, 2, 5). CCPs consist of fly ash, bottom ash, boiler slag, fluidized-bed combustion (FBC) ash, economizer ash, and flue gas desulfurization (FGD) material (see Terminology E2201 for definitions of CCPs) (6, 7).

4.2.1 Fly ash is the most abundant CCP in existing storage areas. Its beneficial uses include, but are not limited to: partial replacement for cement in concrete and concrete products – once in concrete, fly ash reacts with Portland cement to create additional reaction products that improve the strength and durability of concrete; raw feed for the production clinker – fly ash can be calcined along with other minerals to produce clinker; blended cements – fly ash can be an important component in the production of blended cement, especially when pozzolanic properties are desired; filler in plastics – fly ash typically increases the stiffness and compressive strength when used as a filler in plastics; controlled low strength materials (CLSM) – CLSM that include fly ash, typically have improved flowability and strength as well as reduced bleeding and shrinkage; as a soil stabilization material; as an aggregate/soil replacement construction material in structural fill and mine reclamation projects; fillers in carpet backing – fly ash is high performance mineral filler; and as a solidification agent within landfills and remediation projects (6-9).

4.2.2 Bottom ash can be beneficially used as raw feed for the production of clinker, as a component of structural fills, and as aggregate in the manufacturing of masonry products (6, 7, 9).

4.2.3 Boiler slag can be used as blasting grits and roofing granules. Other applications include, but are not limited to, as a component of structural fills and mineral filler in asphalt (7, 9).

4.2.4 Fluidized-bed combustion (FBC) ash can be utilized in various mixtures as a low-strength concrete material and soil stabilization agent (7).

4.2.5 Flue gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsum, in its majority, is typically beneficially used in gypsum panel products. Other uses include in agricultural applications to improve soil, as a component in structural fills, and as an important component in the production of cement (6, 7, 9).

4.3 Approval Context—This guide does not supersede local, state or country requirements, if applicable. This guide is intended to be used for storage areas that are both within an approval authority program and historic (or unpermitted) storage areas.

4.3.1 For harvesting of CCPs from storage areas within an approval authority program, governing documents should be carefully reviewed and followed to ensure that all requirements relative to design, operations, monitoring, closure, and post-closure are followed, or that agreements are established to ensure compliance and allow for harvesting activities.

4.3.2 For harvesting of CCPs from historic (or unpermitted) storage areas, the project team should engage with the appropriate local, state, province, or country approval, or combination thereof, authorities to determine the appropriate requirements, and should ensure that the appropriate engineering controls and institutional controls are incorporated into the harvesting project.

4.4 Use of Guide—Approval authorities may incorporate this guide, in whole or in part, into general guidance documents or site-specific approval documents.

4.5 Professional Judgment—This guide presumes the active involvement of an environmental professional who is knowledgeable in how to design and construct storage areas and how to identify acceptable site conditions, or when appropriate, satisfy applicable statutory or approval authority limitations on the use of an operating, closed, or historic (unpermitted) storage area.

4.6 Inherent Uncertainty—Professional judgment, interpret-
ation, and some uncertainty are inherent in the processes described herein even when decisions are based upon objective scientific principles and accepted industry practices.

Subcomité:

E50.03

Referida por:

E3377-24, E3355-23

Volúmen:

11.06

Número ICS:

75.160.10 (Solid fuels)