Atritor and UKQAA advancing sustainable ash solutions
Atritor is proud of its active and growing collaboration with the UK Quality Ash Association (UKQAA), the UK’s leading authority on the responsible management, processing, and beneficial use of the UK’s stocks of coal-derived fly ash (CDFA).
The UKQAA brings together organisations from across the supply chain, including power generators, cement producers, processors, logistics providers and technology developers. It aims to promote the sustainable use, quality standards, and industry adoption of harvested coal-derived fly ash, contributing to a more sustainable future, both within the construction sector and beyond.
As the UKQAA highlights, the country’s existing stocks of CDFA represent a valuable resource for the future; a unique pozzolanic material with wide-ranging applications across construction and other industrial sectors. Harnessing this material not only supports environmental goals but also strengthens supply chain resilience for key industries. By working together, Atritor and the UKQAA are helping to turn a historic by-product into a forward-looking solution for greener infrastructure.
Demonstrating technology in practice
To support wider industry engagement, Atritor hosted a live demonstration event in partnership with the UKQAA and ST Equipment & Technology. The session provided members with an opportunity to observe Atritor and ST Equipment & Technology’s pilot plants in operation, handling harvested ash and demonstrating the energy efficiency of the process. The event formed part of a broader effort to promote transparency and give decision-makers direct access to current technology.
Atritor has over 90 years of experience in processing materials, and ST Equipment & Technology have been removing carbon from fly ash since 1995. The combined knowledge offers a solution that overcomes the challenges of harvested fly ash: high moisture, particle size and carbon content. The pioneering combination of the pilot plants at this event allowed industry leaders to witness for themselves stockpiled ash samples being processed.
The ST Equipment & Technology was shipped over from the USA to sit alongside the Atritor drying and deagglomeration plant in Coventry. 50 key stakeholders attended the live demonstration, ranging from power utilities, cement producers, distributors, trade bodies, government and the media.
The pioneering process
Harvested CDFA was delivered from across the UK for the event and fed into the Atritor dryer pulveriser to be dried and deagglomerated to meet International standards in terms of fineness. The deagglomerated and dried material was collected and fed into the ST Equipment & Technology carbon separation process. In a few seconds, the ST Equipment & Technology separator utilises the differential electrical charge properties between the mineral and carbon content of the dried ash to produce two value streams: an EN450 quality fly ash and a high carbon material that offers potential use in several different applications. Once the demonstration was complete, visitors were invited into the lab to witness testing for conformity to international standards in Europe and the USA.
Whilst there can be variability both within and between legacy stockpiles of fly ash, the combination of the Atritor and STET technology results in a consistent processed ash that makes an excellent secondary cementitious material. A material that enhances the properties of cement and concrete, with strong sustainability credentials, while fitting into the goals of a circular economy.
A short video of the demonstration is available on the UKQAA website.
Supporting the industry with verified emissions data
Atritor supported a UKQAA-led study to quantify the carbon emissions associated with processing harvested CDFA. The work compared standard industry practices with the Atritor process, using real-world data provided by Atritor to assess energy use and carbon output.
The results have been published in the UKQAA’s CO₂ Allocation Report, which gives a clear, independent comparison of different processing approaches. It provides a useful reference point for industry professionals looking to reduce emissions and improve the environmental performance of their operations.
The report is available on the UKQAA website, along with a CO₂ calculator that UKQAA members can use to run their own figures using the same methodology.
Focused on performance, backed by data
Atritor’s contribution to the study reflects its ongoing investment in providing clear, measurable performance data to the industries it serves. The partnership with the UKQAA is part of a practical approach to supporting better use of secondary materials, improving efficiency, and reducing waste across the sector.
For more information or to speak with Atritor about how they can support your ash processing or carbon calculation needs, please get in touch.
