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Coal ash has the ability to be either bad for the world or good, depending on whether it involves a serious coal-ash spill like the recent one in East Tennessee. In situations like this, then storing the waste from burning coal can quickly become deadly. An impoundment wall collapsed which resulted in a spill of more than a billion gallons of coal ash over 300 acres in Harriman, Tennessee. At the present time, no federal standards exist, so Democrat Nick Rahall has introduced to the House a Coal Ash Reclamation and Environmental Safety Act of 2009, which would impose higher standards on the current practices of coal ash surface impoundments.

Because of this, the EPA recently sent out letters requesting utility companies to inspect their ash storage ponds due to new regulations coming forth to prevent any similar accidents such as the one in Tennessee.  According to coal ash groups, better than letting ash sit around waiting for an accident to happen is the ability to utilize it in a positive manner. This would be for things like sandblasting or grit for roofing shingles, with its 2007 usage consisting of over 80% of coal-plant slag, with 40% of bottom ash used for gravel substitutes, embankment fill, or ice control agents.

Coal ash is a mixture of water and fly ash, containing elements that are considered very toxic to the environment or people in surrounding areas. But with fly ash utilized in concrete, it will make the building material stronger and less porous, in addition to being less expensive.  Also, when cement is produced it releases large amounts of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas which helps the environment.  Recent projects involving fly ash in the new I-35W Minneapolis bridge in Minnesota. It also is built into the Ronald Reagan Government Office Building, home to the Washington EPA, and the Freedom Power in the former site of the New York World Trade Center.

With coal ash being more radioactive than nuclear waste, responsible for mining accidents, acid rain and greenhouse gas emissions. But putting it in cement will reverse all of that, unless the coal converted to fly ash leaches into surrounding grounds. Because of this, the EPA is positive on fly ash collection and reusing it for cement projects—with an example being the Wal-Mart Stores who received a Environmental Achievement award with over 350,000 tons of fly ash into concrete for environmental and construction practices.