Tennessee Valley Authority
Kingston Ash Slide
Characterization of Dredged Ash
For Disposal at the Arrowhead Landfill
Background
- Arrowhead Landfill is a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Subtitle D permitted solid waste facility. Subtitle D facilities are not permitted to receive hazardous wastes as defined under RCRA. Therefore, the principal waste acceptance criterion (WAC) that must be met for disposal in the landfill is demonstration that the ash does not have any constituents that exceed the RCRA definition of hazardous waste.
- The presence of trace metals in ash, which occur naturally in the coal and remain after the coal is burned, is evaluated by chemical tests specified by the RCRA regulation. The test required by RCRA regulation is the Toxicity Characteristics Leaching Procedure, or TCLP. TCLP testing is performed on solid waste to determine if it might also be a hazardous waste as defined under RCRA.
- The TCLP test simulates landfill conditions to determine if a solid waste might release hazardous constituents in liquid leachates above prescribed concentrations.
- The RCRA TCLP metals and the defining regulatory limits are summarized below:
Constituent |
Regulatory Limit, mg/L |
Arsenic |
5.0 |
Barium |
100.0 |
Cadmium |
1.0 |
Chromium |
5.0 |
Lead |
5.0 |
Mercury |
0.2 |
Selenium |
1.0 |
Silver |
5.0 |
- In addition to the RCRA TCLP metals, the ash is also tested for the presence of radium-228 and radium-226, two naturally-occurring, radioactive isotopes typically found in ash. The landfill has an agreement with the state of Alabama to limit the combined concentrations of radium-228 and radium-226 to 10 picocuries (pCi) per gram of ash.
- Another WAC is that free liquids cannot be present in the ash. The ash is tested by a variety of methods as it is loaded, including the paint filter test. A small quantity of ash is placed in a common paint filter, and must not exhibit free liquid passing through the filter within a five-minute period.
Sampling Frequency
- As required by the landfill, TVA obtained representative samples for TCLP, radiological, and paint filter tests for the first 18 train loads of ash.
- Based on those results, the landfill advised TVA in August 2009 that five randomly selected railcars should be sampled each month for TCLP, radiological, and paint filter tests. This sampling schedule is ongoing.
Sampling Results
- All TCLP sample results have been less than the regulatory limit for metals.
- All radiological results to date have been less than 10 picocuries (pCi) per gram for radium-228/226.
- All paint filter tests have been negative for free liquids.
The specific testing results are presented below.
Metal Testing Results
Arsenic, Chromium, Lead, and Silver (PDF, 46 kb)
Barium (PDF, 44 kb)
Cadmium and Selenium (PDF, 44 kb)
Mercury (PDF, 43 kb)
Sum of Radium 226 and 228 (PDF, 45 kb)
Paint Filter Testing Results
| Sample Code | Sample Date |
Free Liquids |
| WCOMP1 | 04/24/2009 |
N |
| WCOMP2 | 04/24/2009 |
N |
| WCOMP3 | 06/08/2009 |
N |
| WCOMP4 | 06/08/2009 |
N |
| WCOMP4-Dup | 06/08/2009 |
N |
| WCOMP5 | 06/08/2009 |
N |
| WCOMP6 | 06/08/2009 |
N |
| WCOMP7 | 06/08/2009 |
N |
| WCOMP8 | 06/22/2009 |
N |
| WCOMP9 | 06/22/2009 |
N |
| WCOMP10 | 06/22/2009 |
N |
| WCOMP11 | 06/22/2009 |
N |
| WCOMP12 | 06/22/2009 |
N |
| WCOMP13 | 06/22/2009 |
N |
| WCOMP14 | 06/22/2009 |
N |
| WCOMP15 | 06/22/2009 |
N |
| WCOMP16 | 06/22/2009 |
N |
| WCOMP17 | 06/22/2009 |
N |
| WCOMP18 | 06/22/2009 |
N |
| WCOMP19 | 06/22/2009 |
N |
| WCOMP20 | 06/22/2009 |
N |
| WCOMP21 | 06/22/2009 |
N |
| WCOMP22 | 06/22/2009 |
N |
| WCOMP23 | 06/22/2009 |
N |
| WCOMP24 | 06/22/2009 |
N |
| WCOMP25 | 06/22/2009 |
N |
| WCOMP26 | 06/22/2009 |
N |
| WCOMP27 | 06/22/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB16 | 06/30/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB17 | 06/30/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB18 | 06/30/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB19 | 06/30/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB20 | 06/30/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB21 | 07/02/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB22 | 07/02/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB23 | 07/02/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB24 | 07/02/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB25 | 07/02/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB26 | 07/07/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB27 | 07/07/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB28 | 07/07/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB29 | 07/07/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB30 | 07/07/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB31 | 07/07/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB32 | 07/07/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB33 | 07/07/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB34 | 07/07/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB35 | 07/07/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB36 | 07/08/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB37 | 07/08/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB38 | 07/08/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB39 | 07/08/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB40 | 07/08/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB41 | 07/10/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB42 | 07/10/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB43 | 07/10/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB44 | 07/10/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB45 | 07/10/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB46 | 07/13/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB47 | 07/13/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB48 | 07/13/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB49 | 07/13/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB50 | 07/13/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB51 | 07/14/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB52 | 07/14/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB53 | 07/14/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB54 | 07/14/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB55 | 07/14/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB56 | 07/15/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB57 | 07/15/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB58 | 07/15/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB59 | 07/15/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB60 | 07/15/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB61 | 07/16/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB62 | 07/16/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB63 | 07/16/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB64 | 07/16/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB65 | 07/16/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB66 | 07/17/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB67 | 07/17/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB68 | 07/17/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB69 | 07/17/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB70 | 07/17/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB71 | 07/19/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB72 | 07/19/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB73 | 07/19/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB74 | 07/19/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB75 | 07/19/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB76 | 07/22/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB77 | 07/22/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB78 | 07/22/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB79 | 07/22/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB80 | 07/22/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB81 | 07/23/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB82 | 07/23/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB83 | 07/23/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB84 | 07/23/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB85 | 07/23/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB86 | 07/24/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB87 | 07/24/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB88 | 07/24/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB89 | 07/24/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB90 | 07/24/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB91 | 07/25/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB92 | 07/25/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB93 | 07/25/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB94 | 07/25/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB95 | 07/25/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB96 | 07/27/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB97 | 07/27/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB98 | 07/27/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB99 | 07/27/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB100 | 07/27/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB101 | 07/28/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB102 | 07/28/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB103 | 07/28/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB104 | 07/28/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB105 | 07/28/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB106 | 07/29/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB107 | 07/29/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB108 | 07/29/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB109 | 07/29/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB110 | 07/29/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB111 | 07/30/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB112 | 07/30/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB113 | 07/30/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB114 | 07/30/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB115 | 07/30/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB116 | 07/31/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB117 | 07/31/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB118 | 07/31/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB119 | 07/31/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB120 | 07/31/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB121 | 08/02/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB122 | 08/02/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB123 | 08/02/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB124 | 08/02/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB125 | 08/02/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB126 | 08/04/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB127 | 08/04/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB128 | 08/04/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB129 | 08/04/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB130 | 08/04/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB131 | 08/05/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB132 | 08/05/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB133 | 08/05/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB134 | 08/05/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB135 | 08/05/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB136 | 08/27/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB137 | 08/27/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB138 | 08/27/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB139 | 08/27/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB140 | 08/27/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB146 | 10/22/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB147 | 10/22/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB148 | 10/22/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB149 | 10/22/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB150 | 10/22/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB151 | 11/19/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB152 | 11/19/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB153 | 11/19/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB154 | 11/19/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB155 | 11/19/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB156 | 12/17/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB157 | 12/17/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB158 | 12/17/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB159 | 12/17/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB160 | 12/17/2009 |
N |
| WGRAB161 | 01/28/2010 |
N |
| WGRAB162 | 01/28/2010 |
N |
| WGRAB163 | 01/28/2010 |
N |
| WGRAB164 | 01/28/2010 |
N |
| WGRAB165 | 01/28/2010 |
N |
| WGRAB166 | 02/18/2010 |
N |
| WGRAB167 | 02/18/2010 |
N |
| WGRAB168 | 02/18/2010 |
N |
| WGRAB169 | 02/18/2010 |
N |
| WGRAB170 | 02/18/2010 |
N |
| WGRAB171 | 03/16/2010 |
N |
| WGRAB172 | 03/16/2010 |
N |
| WGRAB173 | 03/16/2010 |
N |
| WGRAB174 | 03/16/2010 |
N |
| WGRAB175 | 03/16/2010 |
N |