Beneficial Use of Boiler Ash at the Savannah River Mill, Georgia-Pacific Corporation, 2003 Environmental Conference Proceedings

Georgia-Pacific Corporation’s Savannah River Mill (SRM) owns and operates a coal/petroleum coke-fired generating plant at its pulp and paper manufacturing facility located in Rincon, Georgia. Hydration of the generated ash material creates an aggregate.

In 1995, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (GaEPD) approved the use of boiler ash on SRM landfill haul roads, greatly improving accessibility. In 1999, GaEPD granted approval to utilize the boiler ash for other purposes on site to include parking lots. In 2000, SRM obtained approval to mine boiler ash from the landfill to sell as recovered material. In 2001, the DOT issued a specification for graded aggregate road base material, listing SRM as a source. The specification was a large step toward establishing the value of the aggregate product and gaining the acceptance of the construction community. In July 2001, Effingham County began use of the aggregate as a base for secondary dirt roads. Not only does this project benefit Georgia-Pacific, but the local community as well. The aggregate provides a safe and solid surface for travel in all types of weather at a fraction of the cost of stone and/or asphalt.

From September 2001 to January 1, 2003, SRM beneficially reused 477,160 cubic meters (624,102 cubic yards) of aggregate.