CONFUSION AND QUESTIONS ABOUT ASH.

The Environmental Defense Fund recently alleged that most ash residues from refuse-to-energy facilities will fail the U. S. EPA test which determines whether a given substance is a hazardous waste because of its characteristics. Public supporters of this technology, local officials, and the financial community have been questioning the validity of using waste-to-energy facilities as an environmentally safe disposal option for municipal solid waste (MSW). This article presents some of the known facts concerning incinerator ash, testing methodologies, and disposal options. Subjects covered include ash residue characteristics, refuse and ash testing, disposal options, and others.