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TRACE ELEMENT CHARACTERIZATION OF COAL WASTES. THIRD ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT, OCTOBER 1, 1977-SEPTEMBER 30, 1978
Citation:
Wewerka, E., J. Williams, L. Wangen, J. Bertino, AND P. Wanek. TRACE ELEMENT CHARACTERIZATION OF COAL WASTES. THIRD ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT, OCTOBER 1, 1977-SEPTEMBER 30, 1978. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/7-79/144 (NTIS LA7831PR).
Description:
The report gives third year results of a program to characterize the trace element content of coal waste. In 1978 laboratory experiments were performed to investigate the efficacy of several control options to treat coal wastes at the preparation plant or during disposal. The research revealed that calcining is one of the more effective and permanent means of treating high sulfur coal wastes before disposal to decrease, quite dramatically, the release of environmentally undesirable pollutants into the drainages from disposal sites. Co-disposal of the coal wastes with lime or limestone to neutralize the acid drainage and contain soluble aqueous contaminants within the waste site is also a promising control. Other experiments examined the feasibility of using natural sealants (e.g., clays, soils, calcite, and cements) to isolate the disposal site from its immediate environment. The report discusses the various trade offs for these control options in terms of contaminant reduction, complexity, permanency, and cost.