GMA pushes on for coal ash containment liners
August 12, 2010
Geosynthetics featured during U.S. House hearing
IFAI, Roseville, MN - August 12, 2010
The advocacy work begun by the Geosynthetic Materials Association last year continues to advance the cause of the first-ever national rules to ensure the safe disposal and management of coal ash under the nation's primary law for regulating solid waste, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).
Putting protective controls such as geosynthetic liners and groundwater monitoring in place at new and existing landfills will protect groundwater and human health.
The proposed regulations will ensure stronger oversight of the structural integrity of impoundments in order to prevent accidents like the one at the Tennessee Valley Authority's Kingston Fossil Plant, where waste had been accumulating for half a century. The mountain of sludge covered more than 100 acres and rose 65 feet into the air before an earthen dam burst, spilling 5.4 million cubic yards of ash that inundated homes and about 300 acres, as well as a river.
On July 22nd, a hearing was conducted by the U.S. House of Representatives Rural Development, Entrepreneurship and Trade Subcommittee of the House Small Business Committee titled, "Coal Combustion Byproducts: Potential Impact of a Hazardous Waste Designation on Small Businesses in the Recycling Industry."
View video of Rep. Glenn Thompson's (R-Pa.) Statement and Question
View video of Rep.Heath Shuler's (D-NC) Geosynthetics Comments
During this hearing, Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-Pa.) issued the following statement and question which define geosynthetics and their role in as a part of a reliable solution: "Geosynthetics are a class of products that provide solutions for the safe storage of Coal Combustion Residuals (CCRs) until the CCRs can be reused.
"Geosynthetic materials include liners such as geomembranes and geosynthetic clay liners, structural reinforcement using geotextiles and geogrids, and drainage applications using geocomposite drains.
"Concerns of safety regarding CCRs are mitigated if the landfill storage sites are lined and the leachate is prevented from entering the environment.
"Safety concerns of surface impoundments are also mitigated if the impoundments are lined with geomembranes or geosynthetic clay liners. The structural integrity of impoundment levees and walls are greatly increased using geotextile and geogrid reinforcement. "Geocomposite drainage systems draw the water out of the CCR slurry in the surface impoundment, rendering the material into a more solid, stable state.
"Applying these geosynthetic solutions to the storage of CCRs keeps them in a secure safe state until the CCRs can be recycled in the production of cement and wallboard or as structural fill and road base applications.
"Since it appears the future of the CCR beneficial use industry and the livelihoods of those employed in the industry is predicated on the safe, secure handling and storage of CCRs, and that since the geosynthetics solutions outlined above provide for the safe secure storage of CCRs, do you support mandating of the use of these geosynthetics systems by Congress and/or the EPA in regards to CCR containment?"
Rep. Thompson's question was posed to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Deputy Assistant Administrator Lisa Feldt, who was a witness at the hearing. She responded positively regarding geosynthetic materials, saying that geosynthetic liners are valuable and will be implemented in the new coal-ash disposal rules.
According to Andrew Aho, Division Manager of Geosynthetic Materials Association, "This hearing was significant because geosynthetics were highlighted as a solution before members of Congress and key waste and recycling industry officials. This will have a very important impact on the recycling industry, and the EPA's Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) for coal ash regulations."
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