New EPA Coal Ash Disposal Rules Favor Dry Storage

Coal Ash Dust from CCR Stockpiles Dust Control Plan
Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) piles are considered containerized as the material sits on an impervious base, includes a runoff or leachate control, and walls or barriers. CCR piles must have extensive fugitive dust control plans, including wet dust suppression.

New U.S. EPA coal ash disposal rules will likely close remaining surface impounds due to noncompliance and the cost of retrofit.

When it comes to fly ash, it is clear that the U.S. EPA prefers – and is steering operators toward—dry storage.

The EPA’s proposed final rule on coal ash disposal regulates groundwater contamination, leachate control, and structural containment of fly ash storage for the first time in response to recent surface impound leaks.

The EPA says Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) require ’cradle-to-grave’ management and that storage ponds carry a “potential for loss of life, environmental damage, and economic loss”.

Even if the rules are still under review, the industry needs to start planning its inevitable shift away from pond storage. The future is clearly in dry storage with a proactive dust and runoff control plan.

Stockpile and Landfill Dust Control

The EPA identifies two forms of dry storage: CCR pile and landfill.

CCR piles differ from landfills because they are, as the EPA defines, ‘containerized’. ‘Containerized’ doesn’t necessarily mean enclosed, but rather just includes measures to prevent exposure to environment, such as through an impervious base, leachate and runoff collection, or wind barriers.

The EPA will be looking to see if operations are implementing quality fugitive dust plans that would be expected to reduce fugitive dust to appropriate levels.

Suggested measures include:

  • Paving and sweeping roads, using covered trucks for transport, and reducing traffic speed.
  • Short of enclosing the CCR pile, operations can use barriers, such as a tree line, to reduce wind velocity. It is also recommended that operations halt activity in high wind conditions.
  • Misting system

Fly Ash Stockpile with Dust Suppression

Storm Water Runoff Management

You can’t separate your dust suppression and storm water runoff plans. Operators must continue to develop a drainage system accounting for the calculated expected runoff while considering topography and runoff patterns.

The EPA doesn’t see normal runoff from the pile or the low water volume produced by atomized mist to carry enough CCR to be considered CCR storage. Therefore, settling ponds for drainage are not subject to the strict rules governing surface impounds.

Simply put, reducing your dust suppression water usage will lower runoff. And atomized mist uses more than 20 times less water than industrial sprinklers.

In addition to that and the reduced cost in water,  savings can be achieved through greater overall efficiency of the operation.

There is a proper balance of moisture level that prevents the ash from drying out and creating dust that could migrate off-site, but also not getting the material too wet. In addition to the runoff concerns, coal ash turns into a sticky muck when oversaturated. This muck is hard on equipment and difficult to handle.

Airborne Dust Suppression

Atomizing nozzles fracture the incoming stream into millions of tiny water droplets — just the right size to collide with airborne dust and bring it to the ground.

A dust particle that is smaller than the water droplet has a tendency to get trapped in the drop's surrounding air stream rather than colliding. It takes a mist to bring down floating dust particles.

Fly ash is also considered hydrophobic, which means it is seemingly repelled by water. Fly ash can benefit from a surfactant, which lowers the surface tension of the water droplet, making airborne capture more effective.

Implement Dust Control Today!

Receive a FREE quote and talk to a dust control specialist today to stop fugitive dust!

Get A Quote

More BossTek

DB-45 Surge® delivers unrivaled precision, versatility for dust suppression

By Brooke Carlson | February 28, 2024

In response to input from customers across the demolition and bulk material handling sectors, the leader in atomized mist technology has introduced a powerful new mobile mid-sized dust control cannon.  The DustBoss® DB-45 Surge® is the next iteration of the popular Surge series featuring an innovative pressurized center nozzle paired with the industry-proven fan and

Asbestos Dust: How to Reduce Health Risks Not Just Found in Construction

By Brooke Carlson | December 7, 2023

Many people don’t realize that asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that has been mined and applied for different uses by humans for several millennia.  With tough fibers, items containing asbestos were found to be resistant to heat, electricity, and corrosion.  In Northern Europe, clay pots dating back to 2500 BC contained asbestos to strengthen

6 Ways Fugitive Dust Control Can Help Your Bottom Line

By Brooke Carlson | October 6, 2023

Justifying the purchase of any equipment should be accompanied by a real-world assessment of how it impacts the bottom line. If the goal is improving air quality from potentially harmful fugitive dust emissions in workplaces and communities, then investing in a mist cannon is an excellent consideration. The compliance and legal exposures are enough to

Silica dust exposure is dangerous: Here’s how OSHA / MSHA can help protect

By Brooke Carlson | September 6, 2023

In 2023, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced new rules regarding Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) dust emissions, marking a major adjustment to how to address the top silica dust exposure hazards in the workplace from ports to mines to construction sites.[1] This quickly follows a similar announcement by the U.S. Mining Safety

How To Create an Effective Dust Management Plan

By Brooke Carlson | April 20, 2023

A dust management plan (DMP) is very specific to the industry and application. For example, a quarry’s needs may look vastly different from that of a building demolition site. First off, they produce a disproportionate volume of dust and often operate in contrasting environments (rural vs. urban).  Each application produces varying types of dust and

Controlling Dust for a Hospital Demolition Protects Patients and Students

By Brooke Carlson | March 21, 2023

As the leader in dust control technology, BossTek® was enlisted to help the Methodist University Hospital (MUH) in Memphis, TN prepare for a $275 million-dollar facility upgrade by controlling dust emissions during the demolishing of its old facility on the University of Tennessee campus.  The contractor, DT Specialized Services (DTSS), employed the DustBoss® DB-60 Fusion™

Subscribe and Stay Up-to-Date!

Receive a monthly newsletter keeping you up-to-date on the latest in dust and odor control.

Subscribe