Coal Ash Ponds & Tailings Remediation Solutions

"In 2015 the Environmental Protection Agency established new technical requirements for CCR landfills and surface impoundments under subtitle D of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). This is the nation's primary law for regulating solid waste. In the same year CALM (Coal Ash Liquid Management) was launched by Chris Hardin, P.E., Managing Director and several faculty researchers from the Energy Production and Infrastructure Center, (EPIC) to develop practical, technology-based solutions for the energy production industry to address problems and challenges with coal ash and liquids management.  I joined the CALM committee a few years ago as an industry resource who through my career at Hevvy/ Toyo Pumps has specialized in the transportation of solids using specialty slurry and solids handling pumps for over 30 years.

Hevvy/Toyo Pumps has been a premier provider to global miners and oil producers for over 40 years, helping them dredge, remediate, and reclaim their Tailings ponds. (Check out Tailings case studies here) As we speak we have 800HP monster pumps working in some of the harshest Tailings ponds in Northern Alberta. I knew once I joined CALM that our dredging and pumping know how, combined with our design ability could help our Energy Production partners meet the EPA’s expectations at greatly reduced costs.

The Hevvy/Toyo Pumps solution will save our Energy Partners literally millions by pumping high solids concentrations of  CCRs. Hevvy/Toyo Pumps, has built a business around pumping the highest consistencies of solids (up to 70%). Achieving a higher % of solids straight from the pond means less water is being pumped and that means less water treatment, less polymers and less dewatering equipment are required. Ultimately, much less cost to manage CCR’s."

Rusty Reeves, the manager of the Coal Ash Pond unit for Hevvy/Toyo Pumps, sits on the CALM (Coal Ash and Liquid Management) committee.