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WASTE AND WATER MANAGEMENT FOR CONVENTIONAL COAL COMBUSTION ASSESSMENT REPORT - 1979. VOLUME I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Citation:
Santhanam, C., R. Lunt, C. Cooper, D. Kleinschmidt, AND I. Bodek. WASTE AND WATER MANAGEMENT FOR CONVENTIONAL COAL COMBUSTION ASSESSMENT REPORT - 1979. VOLUME I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/7-80/012A.
Description:
The report is an executive summary, the first of five volumes giving a detailed assessment of the state-of-the-art of water and waste management technology for conventional combustion of coal. Various R and D programs sponsored by EPA and private industry have achieved significant results in many areas. Substantial progress has been made in characterizing major wastewater streams and in determining physical, chemical, and engineering properties of flue gas cleaning (FGC) wastes. Overall water management studies have shown that more efficient water recycle/reuse can be achieved, and can serve as models for water management plans in new facilities. Generation of FGC wastes is expected to increase dramatically. Utilization of FGC wastes is also expected to grow, but much more slowly. Major FGC waste disposal methods are ponding, disposal in managed fills, and mine disposal. Progress in dewatering and stabilization processes is expected to increase the relative attractiveness and viability of the latter two methods. Potential environmental impacts are primarily contamination of surface water and groundwater, and land degradation (physical instability, large land requirements); actual impacts are site- and system-specific. Applying appropriate control technology can mitigate adverse impacts. Disposal costs are $9-15 per dry ton of FGC wastes.