Flyash Utilisation Policy

1. The Thermal Power Plants (TPP) in Tamil Nadu generate about 100 lakh tonnes (10 million tones ) of Flyash every year out of which less than 6% is being utilised by cement and brick manufacturing units, with the balance being pumped into the sea after mixing with sea water. This waste material containing several heavy metal represents a potential danger to the environment when disposed in open areas or into sea due to the dust problem and the seepage of the heavy metals into the ground water. Flyash, however, is a potential raw material for manufacture of building materials, if properly collected and put to use. Therefore, it is necessary to formulate suitable policies to promote the use of flyash in building materials and other connected applications.

2. The building industry in Chennai Bangalore and other cities in Southern India is witnessing a major boost owing to the influx of many multinational companies into this part of the county. The cement industry itself had seen a 14% growth last year. To meet the demand for construction activities in and around Chennai, numerous small brick making units have sprouted. The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, is presently taking stern action against those units who are eroding the precious top soil. to avoid dumping of flyash into ash ponds and also to use flyash fruitfully in the building industry and thus make available a large quantity of flyash bricks and limit the growth of the top soil-denuding conventional brick manufacturing process, a new policy to promote large scale utilisation of flyash in building material industry has to be evolved. the Flyash Brick Manufactures Associations and Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation have appealed to the Government to issue a new flyash policy.

3. Government of India have already notified several measures to encourage the use of Flyash in building materials manufacture. Various representations have been received by this Government from the Brick Manufacturing units, most of which are in the small scale sector, for supply of flyash free of cost by Tamil Nadu Electricity Board and for other incentives like exemption of sales tax. A meeting with the representatives of the brick manufacturers was held on 9-7-97 under the Chairmanship of Secretary, Industries along with the other Heads of Departments concerned. Their representations have been examined in detail and the various departments consulted on the options available.

4. Considering the adverse impact of Flyash on the environment if released and dumped in pits and other related problems like huge requirements of land for ash ponds etc., and taking into account the various representations received and after examining carefully all aspects, the Government announce the following policy / guidelines to help promote Flyash based brick / building materials and other products  manufacturing units:

1. Tamil Nadu Electricity Board will supply Flyash to cement companies at the rate of Rs. 60- per tonne and to manufactures of bricks and associated products, road building etc., at the rate of Rs. 10/- per tonne.

2. The Sales Tax on he Flyash made brick is now levied at 4%. It has now been decided to reduce the Sales Tax from 4% to 3%. Commercial Tax and Religious Endowment Department will issue necessary notification in this regard.

3. The Tamil Nadu Electricity Board will arrange to collect the Flyash in a proper manner and make arrangements for proper storage in silos and for easy collection by the buyers wither mechanically or manually.

4. Tamil Nadu Electricity Board will organize two shift operations so that the customers' lorries do not have to wait for a long time.

5. Regarding the use of Flyash made brick in the normal construction  programme by the Government Departments like Public Works Department, Highways Department, Housing Board and Slum Clearance Board, it was reported that the brick made out of Flyash is not a standard project and the quality of the product is different from different manufacturers. So standardisation has to be done before wide acceptance of the product can be expected in the construction industry. Public Works Department / Housing Board shall approach the Structural Engineering Research Institute. Tharamani and Housing and Urban Development Corporation to help in standardising the product, within a period of one year.

6. Till the standardisation of the Flyash made bricks is done, the above Government agencies may use these products, wherever possible after checking the quality, especially in areas where there are no heavy loads.

7. The industry, Tamil Nadu Electricity Board and Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation must give wide publicity to the cost effectiveness as well as utility value of bricks made out of Flyash, by various methods, including publishing advertisements. On Government side, advertisements may highlight the ecologically friendly nature and the cost effectiveness of Flyash made bricks. Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation Limited will take the lead in the matter.