Stockpile management brings multiple concerns, including toxic runoff and airborne particles which can pose threats to water supply, aquatic life, vegetation, visibility, and health. Unsealed piles will emit coal dust, producing an environmental and health concern, and the end result will be an actual loss of coal. Sealing stockpiles to prevent fugitive dust and particle runoff is the single most effective way to eliminate these problems and ensure compliance with increasingly stringent regulatory requirements. Additionally, in unsealed coal piles, BTU values are likely to decline, and the piles themselves burn less efficiently and bear the ravages of freezing and oxidation. Sealing piles against moisture and oxygen is the only practical way of preventing the deterioration and erosion of stored materials.
