Beneficial Use of Fresh and Legacy CCBs in Maryland

摘要

Encouraged by Maryland’s enlightened Pozzolan Act of 1974 Maryland utilities have become national leaders in the beneficialrnmanagement of the coal combustion by-products (CCBs) also referred to as Coal Combustion Residuals (CCRs). This Act requiredrnthat pozzolan ash in particular be treated as a resource rather than as waste. Maryland’s seven coal-fired power plants produce a fullrnrange of CCRs include: both alkaline and non-alkaline fly ash as well as bottom ash, boiler slag, and flue gas desulfurization material.rnIn addition to the fresh material produced each year, there is an enormous tonnage of legacy ash buried or stored across the State. Thisrnpresentation is an update and progress report on the dynamic CCR activities in Maryland. These activities are greatly abetted by thernpresence of two ash beneficiation plants in Maryland and the existence of both a robust concrete ready-mix industry in the area as wellrnas a significant cement manufacturing industry in the region. The result is 80 percent or higher utilization of our utilities’ activernproduction of CCR and an aggressive approach to mining legacy ash.rnA 1982 report catalogued legacy CCR sites across the State. This report is being updated to assess just how well stored ash inrnMaryland can support the above industries in the coming decades as active production of CCR in the State declines. At the same time,rnan industry venture starting in 2004 that now mines over 400,000 ton per year of legacy ash at the decommissioned R. Paul SmithrnPower Plant is being closely observed to identify the economic and environmental issues associated with the transport of the recoveredrnmaterial by truck from the landfill to users.