The colorful side of water remediation.
Acid mine drainage pollution (via EPA)
In Pennsylvania, abandoned coal mines have left a dirty legacy… thousands of miles of streams polluted by acid mine drainage.
Wetlands can be used to treat the water. But in the process, they accumulate a lot of metal sludge that has to be removed – often at great expense.
Bob Hedin of Iron Oxide Recovery says “And so I ended up exploring the idea that this pure sludge might have a marketable value.”
He found the rusty colored material could be used to make pigment for paint and crayons.
“If you get a burnt sienna crayon out of your sixty-four color Crayola mix, it is iron oxide from mine drainage,” he says.
By turning a liability into an asset, his company makes remediation projects more economically sustainable.
Get Schooled:
- Learn more about iron oxide recovery from Earth Magazine.
- Read the press release from The Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds about iron oxide remediation.
- Learn more about acid mine drainage and iron oxide from The Eastern Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation pamphlet.
Hear More:
How did this business venture start? Hear Bob Hedin discuss:
Watch more:
Learn more about treatment of acid mine drainage (via The Heinz Foundation):
The fine print:
- This segment was produced in partnership with Cornell’s Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future and made possible by the Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds.
