Today, the American Coal Ash Association (ACAA) released the results of their 2017 annual survey of Coal Combustion Products (CCPs) and the success story continues. In what is often referred to as “America’s best resource conservation and recovery example,” the use of CCPs increased again, from 56 percent of all CCPs produced in 2016 to 64.4 percent in 2017. ACAA data shows that out of the 111.3 million tons of CCPs produced in the U.S. in 2017, 71.8 million tons were beneficially used, truly a remarkable success story. American industry’s success in using CCPs in numerous construction materials and products avoids mining raw natural resources and saves manufacturing materials such as cement.
Utilizing CCPs also limits imports of additional materials to meet the construction needs which improves the U.S. balance of payments; a stated goal and objective that U.S. Congress spelled out in the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976. Today, more than ever, sustainable materials, such as beneficially used fly ash, gypsum and bottom ash, are meeting the resource conservation goals of Congress and reducing emissions related to manufacturing virgin materials, all while improving the long-term durability of concrete and America’s network of roads, bridges and infrastructure that incorporate CCPs in concrete or other building materials.
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