t is hard to imagine, with such little progress over the past fifteen years, that we are on the verge of solving the coal ash dilemma. But the simple fact remains that to eliminate carbon pollution from the electricity sector in a reasonable timeframe requires a “mass clean-up” of inadequate coal ash storage across our country. There is no more time for excuses.

With the latest EPA’s new set of coal-fired plant rules and the EPA finalizing the rejection of Alabama’s closure plan approvals starts to clear a major hurdle; regulatory uncertainty. The lines are being drawn to formulate a position, arguments will be made, leading to compromise, which in turn will lead the industry to resolution.

Because of the EPA’s “regulatory certainty” and with the huge volume of ash that needs to be excavated and PROPERLY STORED; science and innovation will pave the way for COMPROMISE with closure strategies for decades.

There Is So Much Ash!

Throughout the years many media outlets have reported that almost 2B (that’s a “B” for billions) tons of coal ash is stored in more than 700 ponds and landfills nationwide, most of them unlined. Over the years coal ash needing excavation has been identified in “waves”.

Even before the latest EPA’s Rule on Legacy Coal Combustion Residuals was published there was widespread non-compliance and many of the closure plans for these unlined ponds got “kicked down the road”. So there is a lot of ash still yet to be properly STORED from this FIRST WAVE of identification.

The latest EPA’s Rule on Legacy Coal Combustion Residuals has started the SECOND WAVE of identification, identifying more volume of improperly stored coal ash. As reported by Earthjustice.org, Maryland contains 18 Coal Ash Legacy Ponds and Inactive Landfills. It is estimated that these unregulated ponds and landfills contain about 20–25 million tons of coal ash. That’s just for Maryland! So this WAVE will add more coal ash to the STORAGE problem!

The THIRD WAVE of coal ash identification hasn’t started yet but will be forthcoming when all stakeholders identify other non-regulated coal ash sites. It is safe to assume that with over a hundred years of “coal ash dumping” other deposits of coal ash were not identified in the FIRST and SECOND WAVES will add more coal ash to the STORAGE problem!

THE AGE OF COMPROMISE

There is too, too much coal ash that needs to be excavated and properly STORED. A paradigm shift for all stakeholders as to happen in order to reach a compromise and get this mass clean-up underway. Let science and innovation lead this shift.

JOHN SWENSONFounder | Inventor | Owner

“You cannot solve this non-traditional coal ash basin closure problem with just a traditional approach.”

Science has Answered the Call

Scientific research is starting to yield results. Based on some early articles, which states “researchers have developed a new type of “green concrete” that incorporates twice as much recycled coal ash as existing low-carbon concretes, halves the amount of cement required, and lasts even longer than regular Portland cement concrete”.

Therefore, it is all about STORAGE which can allow for all coal ash to be recycled.

The Right Tools for the Job

Here at EnCAP-IT we specialize in solutions that maximize the use of space; always by making the most of every single acre, yard, or foot of available land for STORAGE. Our safeBERM®, safeSTORAGE® and VertiCell™ patented construction methods, use coal ash (other materials also) as fill in a protective, efficient, and economic eMSE Structure.

With EnCAP-IT the answer to the common question “Can we safety STORE all of your excavated ash on-site?”, is “yes we can”.