May 7, 2026 - The University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research and the American Coal Ash Association are hosting an international conference in Lexington this week.

The World of Coal Ash Conference is expected to draw more than a thousand people from around the world. The event runs through Thursday at the Central Bank Center.

Coal ash is used in products including drywall, sidewalks and concrete.

“I always say coal ash is the largest recycling project we have in the world. People burn coal all around the world. So how do we use it after it’s burned? How do we give it new life?” said Dave Melanson, executive director of external relations at the University of Kentucky.

Kentucky has a rich history in coal production. For years, agencies have worked to repurpose coal ash after mining.

“When you mine coal and put it into the power plants, not all of it burns and the portion that does not combust has to be managed,” said Tom Adams, director of the American Coal Ash Association.

Adams said since 1968, the association has been using coal ash in ways that are sensitive to the environment instead of putting it into landfills.

“We can safely say now that when you’re combusting coal, you’re really having very little impact on the environment,” Adams said.

Businesses like CQA Solutions make containment systems to hold coal ash.

“There’s many beneficial reuses to it. All these concretes out there need it. There’s precious metals in some of it,” said James Cornell of CQA Solutions.

The coal ash industry focuses on the science, uses and sustainability of coal combustion products.

“Just the mineral content of coal ash putting it to work for us rather than just putting it into a landfill makes a lot of sense,” Adams said.

The conference highlights new ways to recycle coal ash for sustainable infrastructure and environmental management.