Punta Catalina power plant generates enormous piles of contaminating rock ash

Alejandra

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In 2007, the foreign energy company AES was fined with US$6 million for importing rock ash wastes to the Dominican Republic. The rock ash was deposited in Samaná and Montecristi. AES paid the money in a deal where the Dominican government agreed to withdraw its claim against them in US courts. The money would be used for the final disposition and proper treatment of rock ash that had been shipped from AES power plants in Puerto Rico.

Now rock ash is being made in the Dominican Republic. The Punta Catalina coal-fired thermoelectric central, the largest infrastructure work carried out by the Medina administration, is producing the toxic waste and storing hundreds of thousands of tons of it outdoors. The National Committee for the Fight Against Climate Change (CNLCC) denounces more than 400,000 tons of rock ashes have already been deposited in an embankment located...

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windeguy

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Jul 10, 2004
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But I thought it as converted to natural gas a vibrating apart at the seams?
 

Son of a sailor

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what a slow motion train wreck. as long as there's no wind, & it doesn't rain, we'll be okay.
the lack of planning is stunning.
 

Cdn_Gringo

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Apr 29, 2014
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So typical. Produce something without a plan to deal with the waste byproducts. Someone is showing the locals how it is done in the first world - moving on up...
 

Big

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this is not rock dust or soda ash, this kind of stuff gets put into concrete, or used in manufacturing wall board, not for spreading over your garden.
you sir know whats going on. Punta Catilina is a coal fired power plant, and that is exactly what is done with the burn off in the states. Much off it is then released into water and or dumped. The place that is switching to gas power is the Pueblo Viejo gold mine in Cotui. Its a money grab just like the EPA does from time to time in the States
 

Big

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its hard to complain about the power situation on the island and then denounce a solution
 
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AlterEgo

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this is not rock dust or soda ash, this kind of stuff gets put into concrete, or used in manufacturing wall board, not for spreading over your garden.
Does it get added to concrete during manufacture or when mixing for use? I ask because there is a major cement factory not far from there (Domicen)
 
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Son of a sailor

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Does it get added to concrete during manufacture or when mixing for use? I ask because there is a major cement factory not far from there (Domicen)

the ash is added in during mixing and used to improve the hardened strength, but it slows down curing times, especially in colder weather, so normally about 15% of the formula. Since the DR has a warm tropical climate, i think it would be 50% to 60% of the mix.

don't have to worry about how long it takes to cure on island time!
 
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