Coal Ash as Oil Absorber

AFTER I had work done my car recently, my daughter pulled out of the garage to reveal at least 2 cups of motor oil had leaked from the car. I put down a half-inch layer of coal ash and waited overnight, then swept up the ash. I think it did a nice job--there may be better commercially-available products for this purpose on the market, but the ash was free and easily available. I searched for this on the forum but didn't find others here using for that purpose. After this experience, right after using coal ash as a non-skid material on icy driveways/walkways, I'd put it high up on the (short) list of valuable uses of coal ash.

A wider search for the use of fly ash as an oil absorber turned up this link, of its benefits as an oil absorber from the Gulf oil spill recently (I don't know if it ended up in actual use there): http://news.discovery.com/tech/coal-plant-waste-t ... gn=rssnws1

Here are before and after photos of my spill.

It looks like the ash absorbed most of the oil. Did you reburn the ashes?

I would take a look at that leak.

markviii wrote:It looks like the ash absorbed most of the oil. Did you reburn the ashes?

I would take a look at that leak.

What oil it didn't entirely absorb is probably too far down onto the surface of the concrete that the ash couldn't suck it up, but it sure is not slippery with that fine layer of ash I couldn't get completely with the broom.

That leak occurred AFTER replacing the oil stand gasket and replacing accessory belts, and apparently resulted from another gasket that went bad inside the oil filter housing--why they just didn't replace it when they did the original work I don't know. But they came to get me where I stopped the car (when oil light came on, on my way back to their garage, despite adding 1.5 quarts a mile or so before), replaced the gasket inside the housing, topped off the oil, and stayed late at their shop to clean it up. They removed the oil pan, degreased and power-washed it, and power washed the engine compartment. Much appreciated by me, until about 15-20 miles later when the battery/alternator warning light came on, then went out when multiple other warning lights came on. I figured things were wet from the power-washing and would dry out. However, the car wouldn't restart where I had (foolishly) shut off the ignition, about 15 miles from their shop. I called them, they sent a towtruck and a driver in another car to take me and my three kids home, after stopping on the way home at Goodwill for us to donate clothes. They flatbedded the car back to their shop. They "discovered" that the alternator was bad, but replaced it free of charge. I can't help but think that their powerwashing the engine compartment had something to do with the alternator failing--apparently they think so too, because they replaced the alternator free of charge, both parts and labor. The tow, and two trips to me where I had broken down/stopped the car, were also free of charge. Major hassle (thankfully I am off from work this week), but I appreciated very much how they have made things right, without charge. Before I picked it up this AM, they took it for a 30 minute test drive, reportedly problem-free--finally.

I think we could come into some money if we market our ash right. We could send a test truckload to AR. to help with the clean up efforts (if they ever do it) could be since it came out of the ground it's OK, heck we don't need no stincken infrastructure repair. The long & short of it is they are saying some areas may be condemed, many if not all of those home owners were never even told there was a pipeline, out of sight out of mind (I guess) easier to sell lots that way. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/20 ... -pictures/

The top of that oil stain resembles a gun ... be careful if you live near the NY border! You may be jailed!

So what exactly is ash? Since I assume all the carbon goes up the chimney as CO and CO2. Is it just powdered dirt and rock minerals?

Lightning wrote:So what exactly is ash? Since I assume all the carbon goes up the chimney as CO and CO2. Is it just powdered dirt and rock minerals?

It's radioactive and will kill the microbes that live in the concrete!!!

Funny how this came up...I ran out of Speedi-Dri last week. I looked for something to dry up a coolant leak I had on my machine and there it were, my spare ash pan filled with my newest substitute.