May 6 2010
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced yesterday two alternative draft rules to increase federal oversight of coal combustion residuals, or CCRs, the by-products of burning coal in power plants to make electricity. The draft rules are explicit in their support for continued beneficial use of fly ash in building products such as CalStar’s Fly Ash Bricks and Pavers.
“Both proposals would allow for environmentally safe forms of recycling coal ash, known as beneficial uses, without any new restrictions,” said EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson. “There has been concern that this rulemaking might discourage these uses. Let us emphasize that, after studying the science and the forms of reuse, we believe that there are multiple ways that coal ash can be reused that are not only safe but environmentally beneficial.”
Mathy Stanislaus, the assistant administrator for the EPA office that will be responsible for implementing the proposals, added: “Environmentally-sound beneficial uses of ash conserve resources, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lessen the need for waste disposal units, and provide significant domestic economic benefits. This proposal will clearly differentiate these uses from coal ash disposal and assure that safe beneficial uses are not restricted and in fact are encouraged.”
Importantly, the EPA’s draft rules preserve the long-standing exemption of CCRs from federal regulation when recycled appropriately. Also, both rules avoid naming these by-products as hazardous wastes, placing them instead in a category of “special wastes”.
“CalStar fully supports increased federal oversight of this huge category of industrial by-products. The U.S. generates over 75 million tons of fly ash every year, and it is imperative that it be disposed of properly when it can’t be recycled into useful products,” said Tom Pounds, CEO of CalStar Products. “It’s evident from this draft that the EPA and the many environmental groups that supported this regulation are fully committed to increasing the role of recycling as an element of a successful management strategy in light of the demonstrated functional benefits, safety, and significant positive environmental impacts of fly ash in building materials. The CalStar team is excited to be supporting this strategy through our fly ash-based building products.”
The publication of this draft rulemaking will be followed by a 90-day public comment period on the two proposed draft rules. A final ruling is expected following the review and further consideration of these comments.
Source: http://calstarproducts.com/