Lack of guidance, businesses in trouble
Ash and slag from thermal power plants are considered an alternative source of materials for site clearance for important infrastructure projects in the Mekong Delta in the context of scarce sand resources. However, a large amount of ash and slag is still “stuck” due to the lack of clear guidelines during the implementation process, even though it is permitted to be used…
Currently, the Mekong Delta region is facing many difficulties in finding sand sources to invest in developing economic infrastructure projects in general and transport infrastructure in particular. However, utilizing ash from thermal power plants to partially replace sand sources is facing many difficulties...
Ash and slag dump of Duyen Hai Thermal Power Company (Photo: Thu Huong)
For example, at Duyen Hai Thermal Power Center, according to statistics in the first quarter of 2024, the total amount of ash and slag contained in the Center's landfills is 4.222 million tons, of which Duyen Hai Thermal Power Company's is 3.82 million tons.
Mr. Au Nguyen Dinh Thao - Deputy Director of Duyen Hai Thermal Power Company said that the Center's ash and slag products have been tested by the Institute of Construction Science and Technology ( Ministry of Construction ) and have been certified for conformity, i.e. meeting the standards for use in landfill (according to TCVN 12249:2018) as well as for use in concrete, mortar and cement (QCVN 16:2023/BXD of the Ministry of Construction).
It is known that Duyen Hai Thermal Power Company has auctioned 1 million tons of ash and slag at the slag dump of Duyen Hai 3 Thermal Power Plant. However, up to now, the use of ash and slag in construction works still faces many difficulties and shortcomings such as: In section 9.3 of Decision 216/QD-BXD dated March 28, 2019 on promulgating the Technical Instructions "Using coal-fired thermal power ash and slag and landfill" (Decision No. 216), it stipulates "requirements to control the radioactive activity index, radioactive activity concentration and radon gas concentration (Ra) when constructing landfill blocks"; section 5.3 of TCVN 12660:2019 Coal-fired thermal power ash and slag for automobile roadbeds: "The inspection and acceptance of roadbeds made of thermal power ash and slag or a mixture of thermal power ash and slag must comply with the provisions of Article 12 of TCVN 9436:2012".
In addition, the requirements for extracted water and safe radioactivity specified in TCVN 12249:2018 must be met. Regarding the monitoring of radioactivity according to Decision 216 and TCVN 12660:2019 during construction, inspection and acceptance, the number of times and locations for sampling have not been specifically stated, so it is difficult to ensure compliance with regulations when using ash and slag for filling or making roadbeds for automobiles.
Regarding the environmental protection requirements when using ash for landfill, as stipulated in Section 10 of the technical instructions attached to Decision No. 216, organizations and individuals using ash for landfill must ensure labor safety and environmental protection requirements, in which only large-scale projects/works can be implemented (meaning that the landfill project using thermal power ash must satisfy environmental conditions, before landfilling, it is necessary to conduct water and radioactivity analysis of the landfill area and collect related documents, leachate from the landfill before being discharged into the environment must ensure the requirements for corresponding wastewater standards...) so there are still limitations in the projects consuming ash ash as landfill material because the above conditions are difficult to implement with small-scale projects, leading to difficulty in competing with other landfill materials in the locality.
Regarding this, in report No. 183/BC-UBND of Tra Vinh Provincial People's Committee on "The situation of management and consumption of ash and slag of thermal power plants in Tra Vinh province" sent to Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha, it is stated that section 9.3 of Decision 216 stipulates: "requirement to control the activity indexes of radioactivity, concentration of radioactivity and concentration of radon gas (RA- a type of radioactive gas) when constructing the landfill".
However, the monitoring of radiation levels according to Decision 216 during construction, inspection and acceptance has not specifically stated the "number of times and locations of sampling", so it is difficult to ensure compliance with regulations when using ash and slag for landfill.
According to the People's Committee of Tra Vinh province, section 10 of the technical instructions issued with Decision 216 on labor safety and environmental protection requires organizations and individuals when using ash and slag for landfilling to ensure the requirements, including "the landfilling project using thermal power ash and slag must satisfy environmental conditions; before landfilling, water and radioactivity of the landfill area must be analyzed and related documents collected; leachate from the landfill before being discharged into the environment must ensure the requirements for corresponding wastewater standards..."
Obviously, the above requirement limits the use of ash as a landfill material because this requirement is difficult to implement for small-scale projects, leading to difficulty in competing with other landfill materials.
“Duyen Hai Thermal Power Company has made a recommendation to the National Assembly Delegation of Tra Vinh province and a number of related units requesting guidance and clarification of Decision 216 so that ash and slag can be widely used as landfill material instead of sand as it is now, specifically: “The standards for conformity and compliance have been met as landfill material, but the instructions for use are not clear, so users are also worried” - Mr. Au Nguyen Dinh Thao said.
What is the cause?
On March 26, 2021, the Prime Minister signed and issued Directive No. 08/CT-TTg on promoting the treatment and use of ash, slag, and gypsum from thermal power, chemical, and fertilizer plants as raw materials for the production of construction materials and in construction works.
The Directive clearly states that, in the past, due to many different reasons, the treatment and consumption of ash, slag, and gypsum have not yet achieved the set goals, the consumption has not been balanced with the emission amount...
To overcome the shortcomings and limitations and continue to promote the treatment and consumption of ash, slag, and gypsum emitted from thermal power, chemical, and fertilizer plants, the Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Construction to preside over and coordinate with relevant agencies to continue directing research on new applications for the use of ash, slag, and gypsum; continue to review, supplement, and perfect technical standards, technical regulations, technical guidelines, and technical economic norms on the treatment and use of ash, slag, and gypsum as raw materials for the production of construction materials and use in construction works... promote the use of construction material products using ash, slag, and gypsum as additives or raw materials.
However, after more than 3 years of the Prime Minister's Directive, coal-fired thermal power enterprises still have to wait for instructions from the Ministry of Construction, despite many petitions from localities with coal-fired thermal power plants, enterprises and the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
Enterprises visit the ash and slag storage site of Duyen Hai Thermal Power Company (Photo: Thao Huyen)
Previously, in November 2023, at the Workshop on removing difficulties and obstacles in the consumption of ash and slag of thermal power, fertilizer and chemical plants organized by the Ministry of Industry and Trade in Quang Ninh, many businesses also raised difficulties and shortcomings in the consumption of ash and slag, the main cause of which was Decision 126.
Mr. Nguyen Van Cuong, Head of Safety Department, Electricity Corporation - TKV said: Currently, the government has issued standards and regulations for the application of ash and slag in the transportation and construction sectors... but the policy mechanism to encourage investors of projects to receive and use them is not yet drastic and thorough.
“Although the ash and slag of the factory are commodity products, have been standardized and conformed to TC, QCVN, in reality, when there are organizations and individuals who need to use the ash and slag of the factory for site clearance, as raw materials for construction materials production... there have been problems with the provisions of legal documents, problems with mechanisms and policies, including some regulations in Decision 216 of the Ministry of Construction,” said Mr. Cuong.
According to Mr. Cuong, according to current regulations, ash and slag are considered as normal industrial solid waste and are managed as input goods for other industries. However, there are no specific instructions from state management agencies on legal procedures for using ash and slag as goods.
Mr. Luu Viet Duc - Deputy Director of Vinh Tan 2 Thermal Power Plant shared that the ash and slag of Vinh Tan 2 Thermal Power Plant has been assessed and certified as conforming to standards and regulations for concrete, construction mortar and cement, as construction materials for filling and roadbed construction, etc. However, with the volume of ash and slag at Vinh Tan Power Center of about 3 million tons/year and the amount of ash and slag at other Power Centers, if only using ash and slag as a cement additive will exceed the consumption capacity.
“Decree 08/2022/ND-CP stipulates that ash and slag are classified as ordinary industrial solid waste that meets technical standards and regulations... However, Decision 216/QD-BXD dated March 28, 2019 on promulgating the Technical Instructions on “Using ash and slag from coal-fired thermal power plants for landfill” has some very strict requirements when using ash and slag as landfill material” - Mr. Duc said.
To promote the consumption of ash and slag, Mr. Duc recommended: The Ministry of Construction should consider providing technical instructions on "using coal-fired thermal power ash and slag for landfill" according to Decision 216/QD-BXD dated March 28, 2019; the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment should promptly issue technical regulations and technical instructions on the treatment and use of ash and slag to restore areas where mining has ended in accordance with the law; the Ministry of Transport should promptly supplement standards, technical regulations, technical instructions, and regulations on the use of ash and slag as materials for road construction.
Meanwhile, a representative of the Department of Industry and Trade of Thai Binh said that Thai Binh province has also proposed using ash and slag from the Thai Binh Thermal Power Plant to level roads and build rural traffic, but is also stuck by regulations of the Ministry of Construction and the Ministry of Transport.
According to the representative of Thai Binh Department of Industry and Trade, ash and slag are currently commodities, so the way to treat ash and slag is completely different from waste. Since they are commodities, they must be managed until the last stage. However, the policy is not clear.
“In the coming years, there will be a lot of demand for leveling construction and traffic works, especially in Vietnam with a coastline of more than 3,260km, especially in the Mekong Delta, where there is a huge demand for leveling. Are there no guidelines for technical standards and norms? Using state money without specific guidance, no business will dare to do it.” - a representative of the Department of Industry and Trade of Thai Binh emphasized.
In report 183, Tra Vinh Provincial People's Committee proposed that the Ministry of Construction continue to guide and support the implementation of solutions and have a mechanism to prioritize the use of ash and slag generated from thermal power plants as filling materials for traffic works, construction materials for construction works, and at the same time consider and adjust Decision No. 216 (Section 9.3, Section 10...) to facilitate the use of ash and slag generated from thermal power plants as filling materials. Recommend the Ministry of Finance to provide guidance on financial mechanisms, support policies, and incentives to support priority policies on using ash and slag as filling and construction materials for construction projects to replace natural materials, meeting the shortage of filling materials for construction and transportation projects. The Ministry of Science and Technology shall preside over and coordinate with relevant ministries and branches to review the issued standards and regulations on thermal power ash and slag as landfill materials, and promptly consider adjusting them to suit reality, economics and reduce environmental impacts. |
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