Coal combustion residues-environmental implications and recycling potentials

Mostly, the CCRs is being disposed to the ash pond as thin slurry, and more than 65,000 acres of land is occupied in India for storage of this huge quantity of ash which leads ecological and environmental problems. Presently about 27% of the total CCRs produced in India is being recycled and used in various applications. The major utilisation is in cement, concrete, bricks, wood substitute products, soil stabilisation, road base/embankment, and consolidation of ground, land reclamation and for agriculture. In this paper, an attempt has been made to assess the global generation of CCRs, present utilisation and acceptability in Indian context, implications and future potentials to achieve environmental sound management.