New EPA Rule Allows Use of Fly Ash for Construction Materials
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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Dec. 19 that it will not regulate coal combustion residuals (CCR), including fly ash, as a hazardous substance and by doing so will preserve the future beneficial use of this product in concrete and most other construction applications. AGC has been actively involved in working to convince EPA that a hazardous designation was unnecessary and would have an extremely detrimental impact on the future use of fly ash and raise liability concerns about its previous use. AGC CEO Stephen Sandherr made the following announcement following the final decision: "[This] decision by the EPA to set performance standards for the safe disposal of coal combustion waste preserves what is one of the most successful commercial recycling programs in use today, the use of fly ash in concrete, asphalt, grout and other construction materials. As a result, the construction industry will be able to continue to recycle an estimated 30 percent of these combustion byproducts each year. Our association and its members went to great lengths to make sure that EPA officials appreciated that the construction industry has successfully and safely used fly ash in concrete and other materials for over six decades. Indeed, construction firms aggressively recycle a host of materials each year, including concrete, steel and asphalt. And thanks in part to our efforts, EPA officials understand that allowing this recycling program to continue will address many of the disposal challenges the energy industry faces with fly ash." Read the full story here.
   
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