Australian Acid Soil Amendment Using Coal Fly Ash

Australia, a main coal exporter for Hokkaido Electric Power Co., Inc. (HEPCO), curently promotes a national forestaion policy. However, the potential sites for forestation include large areas, particularly in East and Southwest areas of Australia, where tree growth is difficult due to the acidic soils. Fly ash, the main by-product from coal-fired power stations, usually contains some alkalinity, and so has the potential to be a useful amendment for acidic soils. If fly ash can be used as a soil amendment, it will expand the range of applications in which it can be used, and furthermore, contribute to the reduction of the green house-effect gas (CO2) by promoting forestation.

Therefore, we, the Environmental Research Section of R & D Dept. in HEPCO, have formed a collaboration with The University of Queensland, Australia, from FY 2006, in order to assess Fly ash-derived Fertilizer (FF) as an acidic soil amendment in Australia. We will carry out plantation trials for five years (FY 2008-2012), using Australian fields which have acidic soils.

In FY 2006, according to the analysis of FF and pot culture using acidic soils amended with FF, we have confirmed:
-The hazardous elements in the FF were below the levels considered to be of concern to the environment.
-FF application to acidic soils promoted the growth of corn.

In FY 2007, HEPCO have manufactured a large amount of FF for the field trials, and transported it to the field sites in Australia. The University of Queensland prepared the scheme for the field trials, selected two field sites and applied the FF to the sites (0.6ha 2 sites). In May 2008, the planting of the tree seedlings was completed (approx. 1,300 seedlings 2 species).