EPA ISSUES NEW REPORT ON WASTEWATER FROM COAL ASH
10.28.09 12:30 AMThe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a report today entitled "Final Detailed Study Report" for Steam Electric Power Generators. Click HERE to view the report. The report is very detailed and thorough in describing how the steam electric power generators work and how coal combustion products (CCP) are generated. Coal combustion products include fly ash, boiler ash, bottom ash and gypsum. The study provides a chapter on harm and potential harm from wastewater from storage or generation of coal ash. It provides some information on some of the constituents in coal ash that can be harmful at certain levels in the water, but for the most part provides information on potential concerns with the wastewater and unlined storage or disposal of CCP. The EPA report will no doubt prove to be controversial. According to the Tennessean in an article this morning, some environmental groups are planning to use this report in their continuing quest to stop coal-fired utilities and coal mining in general. The article did not quote anyone from the CCP industry on the report, other than the industry's long standing position that CCP should not be considered a hazardous waste. In fact, the report does not even address that issue. EPA is expected to make a determination on whether CCP should be considered a hazardous waste by the end of the year.
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