Designation of Pulverised Fuel Ash and Furnace Bottom Ash as Wastes in the United Kingdom

摘要

Pulverised fuel ash (PFA) and furnace bottom ash (FBA) have been used in a wide range of construction products for at least 70 years within the United Kingdom. A comprehensive range of standards and protocols has developed to enable the use of these raw materials in diverse processes. The application of these procedures has been highly effective, ensuring the manufacture of sustainable products, of the necessary quality and required technical performance. The environmental impacts of PFA and FBA use have also been addressed in recent standards and protocols. The wider classification of PFA and FBA as wastes could reduce their acceptance by customers. This would result in greater amounts of ash discarded in landfill, leading to increased reliance on primary aggregates. The continued development of realistic standards and protocols would also be impeded, further reducing rational utilisation. These unsatisfactory outcomes should be avoided. This paper reviews the existing processes and criteria used to define end of waste (EoW) status for PFA and FBA, allowing their reclassification as products. In addition, the paper considers the continual discussions with the various regulators to develop these processes further, thereby encouraging the continued use of PFA and FBA as products in construction markets.