Lawmakers hear testimony on "hazardous" impacts to small business and recycling Industry representatives testified on July 22, 2010 in Washington D.C. regarding the impacts should EPA regulate coal combustion products as a hazardous waste. The House Subcommittee on Rural Development, Entrepreneurship and Trade, chaired by Rep. Heath Shuler (D-NC), invited witnesses to discuss encapsulated uses, such as cement, concrete, and wallboard. Unencapulated uses, such as geotechnical and agricultural applications, were not addressed. Full story>> Fish appear healthy following TVA ash spill Fish exposed to fly ash at the site of the Tennessee Valley Authority ash spill are faring better than some expected, researchers have learned. Full story>>   ACAA calls for national CCP disposal regulations Coal combustion products must be regulated nationally as a solid waste when disposed of rather than as a hazardous waste, according to an American Coal Ash Association resolution. Regulating CCPs under “Subtitle C,” a hazardous waste regulation, would destroy one of the greatest recycling success stories in U.S. environmental history. The resolution reaffirms support for national “Subtitle D” solid waste disposal regulations and the organization’s commitment to CCP use that is environmentally responsible, commercially viable, sustainable, and technically sound. View the resolution>>.   Engineering News-Record takes stand on "hazardous" EPA regs Punishing the sound environmental use of fly ash, especially as a substitute for cement in concrete, is the wrong direction, according to an editorial published by ENR, which concluded: “Until a quick and convenient way is found to wean our country from coal, we must live with it and the by-products of burning it. EPA can add to our knowledge with more research and guidance about safe practices. Further, it can go a long way toward preventing a snowballing series of problems by avoiding an overly encompassing ruling. As the American Coal Ash Association said, ‘Addressing the disposal problem in the wrong way can destroy one of the greatest recycling stories in recent American history.’” Full story>>   EPA: No public health threat from Battlefield Golf Club fly ash Residential wells near the Battlefield Golf Club in Chesapeake, Va. have not been impacted by the fly ash used to contour the golf course according to a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency site inspection report issued April 22. Additionally, the report concludes no adverse health effects are expected from exposure to surface water or sediments on the site. Full story>>    Labeling coal ash 'hazardous' would harm the environment and burden thousands of Americans says Governor An op-ed released by Joe Manchin III (D-W.V.) states: "Jumping to classify coal ash as hazardous waste would neglect many dozens of years of proven beneficial uses of this byproduct. Hastily raising its status to 'hazardous' could actually cause more environmental harm and place undue financial burden on countless thousands of Americans."  Full story>>    Fear tactics threaten one of America's greatest recycling success stories ACAA is now engaged in advocating for the very survival of a multi-billion dollar industry built upon recycling the materials created when we burn coal to generate electricity. These materials have been used safely for decades in various applications, including concrete, metal alloys, plastic composites, and more. Full story>>

Welcome!
The American Coal Ash Association was established more
than 40 years ago, in 1968, as a trade organization devoted to recycling the materials created when we burn coal to generate electricity. Our members comprise the world's foremost experts on coal ash (fly ash and bottom ash), and boiler slag, flue gas desulfurization gypsum or "synthetic" gypsum, and other "FGD" materials captured by emissions controls. While other organizations focus on disposal issues, ACAA's mission is to advance the management and use of coal combustion products in ways that are:

• Environmentally responsible
• Technically sound
• Commerically competitive
• Supportive of a sustainable global community

We achieve our mission by hosting workshops, symposia
and other industry gatherings to promote understanding and facilitate connections. We publish a biannual magazine,
ASH at Work; an exclusive member e-newsletter, The Phoenix, and provide news briefs and updates to keep members and stakeholders engaged in ongoing developments. We archive research reports and industry documents going back 40 years, and we offer expertise in recycling coal ash, boiler slag and FGD materials. Every two years we co-host the industry's most prominent event, "The World of Coal Ash," with participants from 30 countries.

Coal Combustion "Products" 
Emphasizing the Commercial Value
of Recycling Industrial Materials
The materials created by coal-fueled electricity generation 
are recognized internationally as "products," e.g. "coal combustion products." The term "products" was coined by
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to emphasize the commercial value of recycling industrial materials, including tire scraps, foundary sands and slags, iron and steel slag, pulp and paper, and constuction and demolition materials. The EPA's Resource Conservation Challenge and the Industrial Resources Council are excellent sources of information on industrial recycling.

The EPA has set national priorities to increase what the agency terms "beneficial use." In 2008, the United States produced more than 130 million tons of coal combustion products. While 43 percent were used beneficially, nearly 75 million tons were disposed of. The ACAA collects and analyzes these numbers  every year and releases the data in CCP Production & Use Reports.

The Colosseum was constructed nearly 2,000 years ago of concrete
made with volcanic ash. Fly ash is virtually identical in its composition and offers today's concrete structures long-lasting durability, strength, and resistance to the elements.