What Do You Do With the Ashes?

Yanche and Jiminbucks, I very much appreciate your comments....trust me..I *WANT* to believe it is safe enough to drop on my own land because I just have too much ash from the greenhouses to be taking to the dump each week.

I appreciate that you mentioned the difference in safety may be as simple as the fact that we are burning anthacite and not bitumious. JB I am curious if they have any info on the well water around those golf courses? Does he have any info on this?

Yanche, living here in NH, I have no similar background of information that those in the mid-atlantic area etc have. I appreciate learning from all of you.

I just don't want to get in a situation where 2, 5, 10 years down the road I find myself with a hazard or issue w my neighbors.

Thank you - AL

Al F wrote:Yanche and Jiminbucks, I very much appreciate your comments....trust me..I *WANT* to believe it is safe enough to drop on my own land because I just have too much ash from the greenhouses to be taking to the dump each week.

I appreciate that you mentioned the difference in safety may be as simple as the fact that we are burning anthacite and not bitumious. JB I am curious if they have any info on the well water around those golf courses? Does he have any info on this?

Yanche, living here in NH, I have no similar background of information that those in the mid-atlantic area etc have. I appreciate learning from all of you.

I just don't want to get in a situation where 2, 5, 10 years down the road I find myself with a hazard or issue w my neighbors.

Thank you - AL

While I understand what the others are saying, I'll just point out that the studies listed do not specify anything other than "coal ash" or "fly ash". They do not differentiate between anthracite or bituminous. I also would like to think that I can extrapolate out that it must mean that anthracite ash is OK to dump and allow to leech into ground water, but until someone can find something that specifically says that, I'll err on the side of caution and allow my local landfill to handle the ashes.

i just spoke to the fellow who sold me one of my coal units and also sells me my coal...he says he will verify on monday w Blasack...but it is HIS UNDERSTANDING that there is NO problem and pointed to the fact that water purifiers use charcoal (from anthracite) to filter out water.

If this can be verified for me on Monday, I will pass it on her...this will be HUGE for me if true - AL

Al F wrote:i just spoke to the fellow who sold me one of my coal units and also sells me my coal...he says he will verify on monday w Blasack...but it is HIS UNDERSTANDING that there is NO problem and pointed to the fact that water purifiers use charcoal (from anthracite) to filter out water.

If this can be verified for me on Monday, I will pass it on her...this will be HUGE for me if true - AL

I can verify that (I am an environmental engineer and am involved with wastewater). Carbon filters use anthracite coal to filter water. That is not the same as flyash however. When you oxidize things they go through significant changes so something may be good in one of its forms but not the other. Take zinc, in its oxidized (natural state), you pay more for it in your vitamins. In its refined state it is a toxic heavy metal. So while there isn't anything better than anthracite to filter water at a very reasonable cost, its oxidized relative, flyash, would not be a great choice. That is not to say it is not safe to heave out in the backyard. I have done it for years and will continue to do so because it is safe.

Just so you know, I found out that activated carbon was made from anthracite coal after ordering it from my chemical supplier and reading the lable on the 40# bag. When I saw what it was, I took my salesman to task for charging me about $50 for a bag of what I had at home I paid a buck for. Needless to say, I was never billed for it.

Coaledsweat...glad you took your salesman to task! I am really happy you stepped forward to talk about this....

on this: "That is not to say it is not safe to heave out in the backyard. I have done it for years and will continue to do so because it is safe".

Could you elablorate? You are an environmental engineer....why is it safe to throw down the anthacite ash for fill in an environment that is used for growing food products and als an environment that supports a water table and well used for watering plants.

Thank you - AL

coaledsweat wrote: Just so you know, I found out that activated carbon was made from anthracite coal after ordering it from my chemical supplier and reading the lable on the 40# bag. When I saw what it was, I took my salesman to task for charging me about $50 for a bag of what I had at home I paid a buck for. Needless to say, I was never billed for it.

I know they used it for that but I know they also screen it quite a bit more to get multiple sizes from even the finest dust. I can only assume its also santized. If anyone is interested, the reason it makes such a good filter is because it fractures unlike sand which is going to have round shape. Because of these odd sized pieces the filter can last a lot longer before getting clogged.

from
**Broken Link(s) Removed**
"Even the small quantities of ash left over from burning anthracite can be used. The ash is excellent for aerating soil and ..."

Al F wrote:Could you elablorate? You are an environmental engineer....why is it safe to throw down the anthacite ash for fill in an environment that is used for growing food products and als an environment that supports a water table and well used for watering plants.

I didn't say all that. I said its safe to throw in my backyard, which is about 5 acres of woods. I drink the well water here so I couldn't be too worried about what its going to do to the plants if I water them. That said, I wouldn't put it on soil I was growing food on not because it would harm me if I ate the plant. I wouldn't because most plants that you eat don't thrive in it. Some do and people do use it on them. I would think if you are growing a lot of food, you would find better things to put in the soil than coal ash. Again, you can put it in the driveway, fill holes in the yard and cover it with topsoil or out in the woods if you want. You can even put it on your plants if you want. I don't know how they would stand up if you went out and dumped lint on them every day though.

Richard S. wrote:I know they used it for that but I know they also screen it quite a bit more to get multiple sizes from even the finest dust. I can only assume its also santized. If anyone is interested, the reason it makes such a good filter is because it fractures unlike sand which is going to have round shape. Because of these odd sized pieces the filter can last a lot longer before getting clogged.

Sand filters run down to about .2 MM and dieamataceous earth filters go even lower. They don't come anywhere near carbon filtration, activated carbon filters are as tight as 100 million molecular weight (water is 18). It also absorbs chemicals like chlorine and volitile organic compounds, stops cysts, bacteria, you name it.

There is nothing better than anthracite to heat your home AND clean your water for the price, nothing.

so I can fill up my fish tank filter "biobags" with anthracite from my coal bin Before anyone goes and fills their garden with ash, pile some on the driveway or dirt path (if you have a blacktop) and check it in a month. The stuff hardens like concrete. Great for a gravel driveway, I'm not so sure about garden soil.

I use it to fill the low spots on my property, this year I am using it on the ice in the gravel driveway. The fly ash washed away when the ice melted, leaving the larger particles behind, very little mess. I didn't spread any close to the walkway to the kitchen door, though. Why ask for trouble?

ok, I can see I was not as clear as needed...i don't intend on dumping the ash right on the vine and other plant rows...i was going to pick one spot of my 5.5 acres...low area and dump the ash there....should I be concerned for the rest of the property that is used as I stated prior, or will be ash be unstable and leach out undesirables?

can anyone tell me what exactly is IN the ash?

The low spot sounds like a great spot, not sure why you would want to water it, it won't grow.

Coal ash contains a lot of phosphate I think, and a lot of trace elements that probably would scare you. Not much different than wood (it is acidic however), maybe even like hundred dollar bill ash. The levels of trace elements is similar to the radioactive scare we had here. It probably isn't much different than ash from a cremation for that matter.

Al F wrote:ok, I can see I was not as clear as needed...i don't intend on dumping the ash right on the vine and other plant rows...i was going to pick one spot of my 5.5 acres...low area and dump the ash there....should I be concerned for the rest of the property that is used as I stated prior, or will be ash be unstable and leach out undesirables?

can anyone tell me what exactly is IN the ash?

This will make you sleep better at night knowing your dumping ash in your garden/driveway/yard..

http://greenwood.cr.usgs.gov/energy/factshts/163- ... 63-97.html

Al F wrote:can anyone tell me what exactly is IN the ash?

Geochemical Testing can tell you exactly what is in your ash. See http://www.geo-eci.com/ for a list of their testing capabilities and accreditations. Expect to pay for the testing. You have exhausted the knowledge base of a free forum. Be sure to contribute back to the forum with the results of the test analysis on your coal ash.