Utilization of Fly Ash Generated by Thermal Power Plants

The Ministry of Environment & Forests, GOI, issued Notification S.O 2804(E) dated 3-11-2009, amending the earlier Notifications, restricting the excavation of top soil for manufacture of bricks and promoting the utilization of fly ash in the manufacture of building materials and in construction activity within a specified radius of hundred kilometers from coal or lignite based Thermal Power Plants (TPPs)

Failure to Achieve Stipulated100 % Utilization

The latest Notification is necessitated, as the concerned agencies failed to achieve the target of 100% utilization of Fly Ash based products, by 31 st August 2007, stipulated in the original Notification of 1999.

Salient Features of Notification of 3-11-2009

Some of the salient features of the Notification are summarized below:

* The term Fly Ash means and includes all Ash generated such as ESP Ash, Bottom
Ash, Pond Ash, & Mound Ash,

* Every Construction Agency engaged in the construction of Buildings within a radius
of 100 Kms from TPPs, shall use only Fly Ash based products for construction such
as: Cement or Concrete,Fly ash Bricks or Blocks or Tiles or a combination or
aggregate of them in every construction project.

*It shall be applicable to all Construction Agencies of Central or State or Local

Government and Private or Public Sector and it shall be the responsibility of the
agencies either undertaking construction or approving the design or both to ensure
compliance and submit Annual Returns to State PCB.

*No Agency, Person or Organization shall, within a radius of 100 Kms of TPP,
undertake construction or approve design for construction of Roads or Flyover
embankments with top soil. The guidelines issued by Indian Roads Congress from
time to time, regarding use of Fly Ash, shall be followed

*No Agency Person or Organization shall, within a radius of 100 Kms of TPP,
undertake or approve or allow Reclamation and Compaction of low lying areas with
soil. Only Fly ash shall be used reclamation and compaction.

*The CPWD, State PWD, Development Authorities, Construction Agencies etc shall
specify the use of Fly Ash and Fly Ash based products in Tender Documents,
Schedules of Specifications, appropriate Standards and Codes of Practices within
four months from the date of issue of the Notification.

Fly Ash Based Products

The particulars of minimum Fly Ash content, by weight, to be used in the products to qualify as "Fly Ash Based Products" are given below:

· Fly Ash Bricks, Blocks, Tiles etc - 50% of Total Inputs

· Clay based Building Materials - 25% of Total raw Materials

· Cement -15% of Total Raw Materials

· Concrete, Mortar& Plaster -Use of PPC or 15% of OPC Content

· Paving Blocks, Tiles, etc - Use of PPC or 15% of OPC Content

Targets for TPPs for Utilization of Fly Ash Generated

All TPPs in operation before the date of issue of the Notification ie 3-11-2009 ,are to achieve the targets of utilization of Fly Ash given below:

At least 50% of Generation in One Year

At least 60% of Generation in Two Years

At least 75% of Generation in Three Years

At least 90% of Generation in Four Years

At least 100% of Generation in Five Years

The New TPPs and, or expansion Units commissioned after the date of issue of the Notification ie 3-11-2009, are to achieve the targets of utilization of Fly Ash within in the period stipulated below from the Date of Commissioning

At least 50% of Generation within One Year

At least 70% of Generation within Two Years

At least 90% of Generation within Three Years

At least100% of Generation within Four Years