Summary draft #1 - Coal ash into concrete

The NaturalBlaze.com article, "Researchers Turn Waste from Coal Power Plants into Concrete" (2019), reports that researchers from Drexel University have discovered a sustainable solution to protect the natural environment and improve the built environment by recycling coal ash. Tens of millions of tons of coal ash, a less harmful byproduct of coal-fired power plants, end up in landfills each year. The article also states that by turning the waste product into a special concrete additive, it will improve the durability and quality of concrete (as cited in the journal “Cement and Concrete Composites”). The article also states that proper mixing and curing is required to use concrete without any drawbacks. Hence, the special concrete additive will shorten the time for concrete to harden. Using this method, it will reduce the number of coal ash in landfills and benefits the concrete industry.