Coal combustion waste management study

Technical Report · Mon Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1993

OSTI ID:10137842

Coal-fired generation accounted for almost 55 percent of the production of electricity in the United States in 1990. Coal combustion generates high volumes of ash and flue gas desulfurization (FGD) wastes, estimated at almost 90 million tons. The amount of ash and flue gas desulfurization wastes generated by coal-fired power plants is expected to increase as a result of future demand growth, and as more plants comply with Title IV of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments. Nationwide, on average, over 30 percent of coal combustion wastes is currently recycled for use in various applications; the remaining percentage is ultimately disposed in waste management units. There are a significant number of on-site and off-site waste management units that are utilized by the electric utility industry to store or dispose of coal combustion waste. Table ES-1 summarizes the number of disposal units and estimates of waste contained at these unites by disposal unit operating status (i.e, operating or retired). Further, ICF Resources estimates that up to 120 new or replacement units may need to be constructed to service existing and new coal capacity by the year 2000. The two primary types of waste management units used by the industry are landfills and surface impoundments. Utility wastes have been exempted by Congress from RCRA Subtitle C hazardous waste regulation since 1980. As a result of this exemption, coal combustion wastes are currently being regulated under Subtitle D of RCRA. As provided under Subtitle D, wastes not classified as hazardous under Subtitle C are subject to State regulation. At the same time Congress developed this exemption, also known as the ``Bevill Exclusion,`` it directed EPA to prepare a report on coal combustion wastes and make recommendations on how they should be managed.

• Research Organization: ICF Resources, Inc., Washington, DC (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC01-91FE62017
• OSTI ID: 10137842
• Report Number(s): DOE/FE/62017--H1; ON: DE93008671
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010900
20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
200200
200500
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320305
ASHES
DESULFURIZATION
ELECTRIC POWER INDUSTRY
ELECTRIC UTILITIES
ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS
FLUE GAS
FLY ASH
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
INDUSTRIAL WASTE MANAGEMENT
REGULATIONS
RESOURCE RECOVERY ACTS
SANITARY LANDFILLS
SLUDGES
US CLEAN AIR ACT
US EPA
USA
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PRODUCT UTILIZATION