Wastes

Waste byproducts from coal-fueled power plants include:

• fly ash (fine ash that is captured by electrostatic precipitators before it can be released into the atmosphere from smoke stacks)
• bottom ash (heavier ash that collects in the bottom of boilers and is removed)
• gypsum (solid waste produced during the removal of sulphur dioxide from stack emissions by scrubbers)

Companies are finding new market opportunities to reuse or sell these waste byproducts that might otherwise be used for landfill or coal mine backfill. Bottom ash is used for building roads. Fly ash is sold for use in building materials such as cement. And gypsum is sold to create wallboard for the home construction industry. These opportunities depend on the quality of the byproduct and the availability of markets.