Alabama Power plans coal ash recycling at Plant Barry, but most ash to remain capped in place
- Coal Ash Action Group
- Dec 18, 2025
- 1 min read
December 17, 2025
BY GABRIELLA CHAVEZ
Report for America Corps Member
GCM Staff Reporter
In December 2024, Alabama Power announced a partnership with Eco Material Technologies to begin recycling coal ash from Plant Barry into construction materials as early as 2026. While the utility expects to process over 700,000 tons of ash annually, the move has met with skepticism from environmental advocates and community groups. Because the site contains more than 21 million tons of toxic waste, the proposed recycling rate would take decades to complete, and Alabama Power’s primary closure strategy remains "capping-in-place"—leaving the vast majority of the ash in an unlined pond along the flood-prone Mobile River.
In the article, Diane Thomas of the Coal Ash Action Group expresses cautious optimism regarding the recycling plan while emphasizing the need for a complete cleanup of the site. She is quoted as saying:
"Our reservation is how much of the ash will they recycle before their deadline to close the pond. What we’re asking Alabama Power to do is get an extension of their deadline for closing the pond, recycle every bit of the ash they possibly can, and if there’s any left over to excavate that and put it in a landfill."
