A worker at a thermal power plant in the south-central province of Binh Thuan sprays water on a cinder dumping ground to reduce dust (Source: VNA) Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Coal-fired thermal power plants in Vietnam release about 16.4 million tonnes of ash and cinder each year and are forecasted to discharge about 20.5 million tonnes by 2020, a report of the National Assembly (NA)’s Committee on Science, Technology and Environment has revealed.
As many as 422 millions tonnes of ash and cinder will remain by 2030 not to mention a large amount of gypsum, a soft sulfate mineral.
Without proper plans in place to recycle, the resources will be wasted and pose risks of land, water and air pollution, NA Vice Chairman Phung Quoc Hien told the committee’s recent meeting on the matter.
According to the report, the use and consumption of ash, cinder and plaster in Vietnam are slow. The waste can be recycled to making cement, concrete and other construction materials.
Elsewhere in the world, some countries use the waste to build roads and make construction materials, which helps reduce expenses and make structures more solid.
However, in Vietnam, ash and cinder released by a number of plants has not been classified separately to become construction materials.
Truong Duy Nghia, Chairman of the Vietnam Thermal Science and Technology Association, said authorised agencies need to soon complete standards of using ash and cinder.
“Ash and cinder released by plants that use domestic coal have high level of carbon. In the future, we need to ensure the quality of ash and cinder released by coal-fired thermal power plants so that the resources can be used as construction materials,” he said.
Members of the committee agreed at the meeting that coal power plants need to look for partners to recycle. Authorised agencies must launch policies of ash, cinder and gypsum consumption to encourage businesses to treat and recycle the waste.
“Ash and cinder are not only waste but should be regarded as a source of raw materials. We need solutions to effectively use them and make them become a commodity and resource,” Hien said.
Hien required the completion of standards of using ash, cinder and gypsum while reviewing technology of coal power plants, fertiliser and chemical plants to make use of the waste.-VNS/VNA
VNA
