CEBU, Philippines - Coal ash, or fly ash, is not toxic and could be used to make cement more durable.
This is according to the Geo-Transport and Construction Group Inc., which signed an agreement to purchase the coal ash of the Cebu Energy Development Corporation (CEDC).
“Fly ash, when mixed with cement, adds to the durability and strength of the cement itself,” says Joseph Mallari of Geo-transport.
Geo-transport has been in the business of commercial concrete mix cement for the past three years and were using fly ash as one of the components in their cement.
Mallari said that 90 percent of all the new buildings in Metro Manila were using fly ash, which according to him is not toxic or hazardous contrary to the claims made by some environmentalists.
In fact, Mallari said, the Department of Public Works and Highways have already approved the used of fly ash mixed with cement in road concreting.
“But the problem is, there is not enough supply of fly ash nationwide,” Mallari said.
Leah Diaz, safety manager and pollution control officer of Toledo Power Corporation and CEDC also disclosed that she used this mixture for her house. Aside from being more durable, she said it cuts cost by 50 percent.
CEDC, in a statement, said that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has declared that coal ash form coal-fired power plants in Toledo City is considered as “industrial solid waste that does not contain prescribed hazardous wastes”.
“Rooting from its corporate social responsibility and strong environmental concern, CEDC is firm on enforcing proper management of coal ash, surpassing the environmental laws and government prescriptions,” the statement reads.
They have a model power plant in Taiwan which used fly ash to reclaim the land where a microchip factory and an industrial area now stand.
The statement added that using the latest technology that ensures proper discharge of commonly feared emissions at negligible levels, CEDC “had set the beginning of a cleaner technology that would not only help address the power crisis in Cebu but also address Cebu’s need for improved environmental management.” (FREEMAN NEWS)