Coal fly ash (CFA) is the major waste material formed from the burning of coal in thermal power plants that produce electricity. Globally, 70% of CFA produce from the combustion of coal is disposed as waste. For decades,utilities have disposed of coal fly ash dangerously, dumping it into unlined ponds and landfills, which leads to wastewater leakage into groundwater. Analytical investigations indicate that CFA is a highly contaminating  substance containing toxic trace elements such as arsenic lead, and cadmium. The disposal of CFA in fly ash ponds have created environmental risks since such toxic heavy metals over time will leech into the soil, contaminating freshwater resources making such water sources dangerous for human consumption and threatening many natural animal habitats.

According to the industry’s own data, 94% of the US coal fly ash ponds are contaminating groundwater with these toxins at levels that the EPA deems unsafe for drinking water. The EPA has demanded that thermal energy producers develop innovative solutions that will lead to the cleanup of these contaminated sites located near local communities. Current EPA regulations mandates that hundreds of CFA  ponds must be closed over the next several years, and many thermal energy producers are proposing inadequate and sometimes illegal and dangerous closures that do not resolve the current problem.