Fly ash in Polish building ceramics—threat or proecology?

Fly ash from the combustion of bituminous coals extracted in some Polish collieries (e.g. from “Wesoła” colliery in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin) can be characterized by the moderate contents of subordinate and trace elements as well as by acceptable radioactivity. Hence, the fly ash can be used successfully for the production of building ceramic materials. The increase in the amount of fly ash (60–70 wt.% and more) in the raw materials for building ceramics can be considered as a proecologic solution. On the one hand it results in the utilization of this waste material and on the other it contributes to a decrease in the consumption of unrestorable clay raw materials.