Coal ash, the byproduct of burning coal, is the focus of an international conference bringing researchers, engineers and other experts together to discuss sustainability benefits and the science behind it.

Kentucky is a major coal producing state, and because of that, we have a large, coal based, electricity that's provided and a lot of, waste product in the coal ash.

So we spend a great deal of time exploring, how to use coal ash and researching and products.

We decided, in 2005 to join together with, with the University of Kentucky to put together a show that would take the entire chain from the researchers that are doing things in the laboratories, to investigate coal ash and its performance to the other end of the chain, where we have contractors putting these materials in place in various applications, in and around the country.

When, when a, when a power plant burns cold and to generate electricity, not all of that coal is going up in combustion.

Some of it is left behind as the noncombustible portion of the coal, and that noncombustible material has to be managed.

It's a very fine, material that's collected called fly ash.

And there's a head some heavier particles called bottom ash.

The coal ash is a valuable tool to help with your sustainability profile.

And you're looking at construction simply because we've got the material already.

It's it's, coming out of power plants, directly and going to, to, concrete plants.

It's also being taken out of storage and disposal units, whether it be landfills or ponds and processed.

And then being put into construction projects.

So it's really a very valuable tool, from an environmental standpoint and from an economic standpoint, if we take our infrastructure and get more service life out of those dollars, it lowers our net cost.

Over time, Kentucky has has the same interest that most of the other, U.S.

states do right now.

It's two things.

It's number one, making better performance out of there of concrete and other construction materials, but especially concrete, making it more durable so that we get more performance out of the out of the concrete used in our roads and bridges and, and in buildings.

And secondly, the industry is making a major effort to lower its carbon footprint.

Having a conference of this magnitude, even in the beginning when a small, you know, having that out there and having a forum for, for, networking and the people that work in this industry, you then become a focal point as the the experts in this area.

And so, at least for the University of Kentucky, it has brought, new contacts, new people looking to do research in this area.

It really has provided a lot of, research revenue and work for, for, at least for my team working at the University.

Last month, the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency proposed amending current federal regulations regarding disposal and the beneficial use of coal combustion residuals.