Appalachian coal plant plans beneficial use of waste
By Megan Krause, Campus Life writer
May 26, 2008 | noon
A new American Municipal Power plant in Meigs County will use Coal Combustion Products (CCPs) beneficially. Researchers at Ohio University have contributed to the investigation of CCP uses.
CCP disposal methods are not always beneficial
In 2000, an earth damn broke in Martin County, Ky., releasing gallons of CCPs into the water supply. It was considered to be the worst environmental disaster in southeastern Ohio, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Martin County stored CCPs in slurry ponds. This mix of solid and water is used because it can be pumped to the storage location making disposal cheaper, Dr. Ben Stuart, associate professor of Civil Engineering.
Although slurry ponds have been used in Appalachia, landfilling is the primary method of disposing CCPs.
An alternative to landfilling and slurry ponds is the beneficial use of CCPs in a variety of ways. “If you could find yourself a way to use it, that would be a preferred option,” Stuart said. The deciding factor between land filling and beneficial uses is usually cost. Transportation of CCPs can add up quickly based on gas prices and distance, he said.
AMP-Ohio transforms waste into agricultural asset
AMP-Ohio has taken steps to find beneficial uses of its CCPs in Meigs County. The plant will be one of the cleanest in the country, according to an AMP-Ohio press release. Although some material will be placed in landfills, the volume of material will be decreased by beneficial use.
The company will use technology to create an ammonium sulfate byproduct instead of the traditional scrubber material from mixing flue gas from the power plants with lime to extract sulfur dioxide. The waste will be used as a plant nutrient fertilizer. AMP-Ohio has a contract with The Anderson’s Inc. to distribute the fertilizer, according to the AMP-Ohio Web site.
Using the byproduct as fertilizer makes the beneficial use more applicable in Appalachia. “You don’t find all of those opportunities necessarily in southeastern Ohio,” Stuart said. “Beneficial use is more limited in its options.”
Other methods may also be applicable in Appalachia
Although AMP-Ohio chose to use CCPs as fertilizer, there are other options. Mine reclamation uses CCPs as a hydraulic barrier to seal mine openings keeping water in the mine and out of nearby water sources, Stuart said. His research found a 90 percent to 95 percent decrease in metal pollution to a stream near the testing site.
Feed pads for cattle may also be made with scrubber residue. The concrete-like characteristics of scrubber residue allow it to set, creating a hard surface which is prefered to the traditional soil feeding lots.
Climate regulations not likely to reduce amount of CCPs
Despite regulations on emissions, the amount of CCPs is not likely to change. Ohio coal has high levels of sulfur, which generates a high volume of scrubber residue, Stuart said.
In 2002, fossil fuel combustion released 1,220 tons of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere in Athens County, according to the EPA emissions summary.
Good coal has less than one percent sulfur, but bringing in coal from out of state is expensive, Stuart said. Once a plant has invested in the new technology to filter their emissions, it is unlikely to invest in out-of-state coal.
Coal plants are the largest source of human-made carbon dioxide and a concern for global warming activists. Dr. James Hansen, director of NASA's Goddard Space Center, the world’s largest climate research agency, claims that ending the production of new coal plants is essential to preserving the planet, according to the Coal Moratorium Now Web site.
The next president will set regulations on carbon dioxide emissions, Stuart said. The environment is an important issue in this election.
Although there are currently no carbon dioxide emission regulations for coal plants, the new plant in Meigs County is equipped to capture carbon dioxide if regulations are set in the future.
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