The regulation of coal combustion residuals (coal ash) in the United States: geosynthetic and barriers, an overview

The regulation of coal ash (or as it is technically referred to “coal combustion residuals”) has significantly expanded the market for geosynthetics within the United States. Further there is interest in these regulations around the globe in every country using coal as an energy source. These regulations are clearly the result of recent environmental incidents. The regulations call for the increased use of geosynthetic materials in both new and exisiting sites and facilities, both for storage, remediation and stabilization of existing sites. This paper highlights the path to regulation, presents the important factors of the exisiting regulations and discusses the ongoing application of the regulations.