U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., has introduced legislation in
the Senate to increase the use of recovered mineral components in
certain federally funded manufacturing projects.
"When coal is burned at electricity generating plants, approximately
70 million tons of the byproduct material is created and had to be
disposed of each year. These kind of byproducts should be utilized
in a manner which benefits both the environment and the consumer,"
Byrd said.
Byrd's legislation, S.793, would promote the increased use of
recovered mineral components in federal projects involving the
production of cement or concrete. Components including primarily fly
ash, a coal combustion byproduct, and slag, a material produced
during steel manufacturing, can be beneficially used for concrete
manufacturing.
"Using fly ash and slag is cost effective and it makes the finished
concrete stronger and more durable. At the same time, the
environmental benefits are significant. When recovered materials
replace cement in concrete production, energy is saved and carbon
dioxide emissions are reduced. In fact, using just one ton of fly
ash can displace one ton of emitted greenhouse gases," Byrd stated.
"Fly ash is a valuable national mineral resource produced by the
combustion of coal at electric generating stations. It extends the
life cycle of roads and structures by improving the durability of
concrete. The increase utilization of ash contributes a net
reduction in energy consumption and lower greenhouse gas emissions,"
said Rafic Minkara. Dr. Minkara is co-chair of the American Coal Ash
Association's technical committee and vice president of Headwaters
Incorporated.
The legislation would help to spur the use of recovered mineral
materials in federal projects. Specifically it would:
• Require a study by the Environment Protection Agency Administrator
and the Secretaries of Energy and Transportation to determine the
environmental benefits associated with implementing current federal
procurement requirements regarding the use of recovered materials;
and
• Direct federal agency heads to implement existing procurement
requirements, to develop additional requirements, and to eliminate
barriers to using recovered materials.
"Considering the environmental and economic advantages to using
recovered materials in concrete production, it only makes sense that
federal agencies should make the use of such products a top priority
for government-funded projects. My legislation would urge agencies
to start complying with existing law and to seek out further
opportunities for using recovered products," Byrd stated.
"The Department of Energy is committed to increasing the
environmentally sound use of coal combustion byproducts, including
fly ash, to 50 percent of the amount produced annually by 2010,"
explained Tom Feeley of the Department of Energy's National Energy
Technology Laboratory. "The department's research program recognizes
the economic benefit of the commercial use of these products while
reducing the need for landfill space for the disposal of the
material."
