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Our Bureau

Hyderabad , June 11

IF you cannot get rid of fly ash or convert it into useful products, export it. Does this sound a bit unrealistic?

Perhaps, but the $1.5-billion US-based construction major Headwaters Construction Materials is exploring the option of taking Indian fly ash to the US and Europe.

With 25 years of experience in fly ash management, Headwaters Construction is discussing the issue with major players in the Indian power and construction sectors such as NTPC, Reliance Energy and Tata Power.

Mr Murphy Lents, President of one of the company's divisions told Business Line, "We are exploring opportunities for fly ash management in India as well as export to the US, Europe from here."

The Headwaters group, which has companies in energy, resources, construction and technology innovation, manages nearly 50 per cent of the fly ash produced in the US. It transports fly ash from the 110 power plants it manages, from the Central to the East and West Coasts through a fleet of 1,500 rail cars and 1,000 trucks.

Although logistics is important in fly ash business, it still makes economic sense to import the material from India through ship rather than transport it from one coast to another in the US. Also, the quality of fly ash in the West Coast is not good, said Mr Lents.

The company exports fly ash to the Caribbean.

Mr Lents said the company has produced value-added products from fly ash such as mortars and stuccos, window shutters and concrete blocks in the last decade. Fly ash is popular in the US, he said.

Mr Lents, along with Mr Danny Smith, General Manager in the company, were in Hyderabad to participate in a seminar on green building materials on Friday, organised by the National Academy of Construction. They elaborated on the products developed by the company, such as FlexCrete blocks, which have been used in the Hilton Convention Center Hotel in Austin, Texas.

Dr T.S.R. Prasada Rao, Chairman, Sarasijam Technologies, a Hyderabad-based technology consultant, said that, with India producing an estimated 91 million tonnes of fly ash annually, the potential is very good.

At present though, about 73,000 acres of land is occupied by fly ash dumps. Dr Rao, former Director of the Dehradun-based Indian Institute of Petroleum, said, "We have brought Headwaters to India to find ways to use these huge wastes, which are set to become valuable in 10-15 years."

The Director-General of NAC, Maj Gen (Retd) C.T. Chari, said, "It's interesting that Headwaters is thinking of exporting fly ash from Andhra Pradesh to California; it means our material is very good and hence, we should also quickly try to exploit it domestically."

The Chairman and Managing Director of Lanco Group, Mr Y. Harishchandra Prasad, said, "Since power companies like ours are the culprits generating the fly ash, we should find solutions for its utilisation."

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