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Air

Fortifying the Last Line of Defense

April 1, 2005By James P. Zeigler, Susan Lovasic

By learning more about chemical protective clothing selection, users can better protect themselves against chemical exposure and flashfire hazards

What factors should you consider when faced with the dual hazards of chemical exposure and flash fire? The simple answer is barrier -- both chemical and thermal barrier. However, as much as we wish that personal protective equipment (PPE) selection could be a simple process, this one word '"barrier'" encompasses a number of both chemical-protective and flash-fire-protective properties that need to be considered during the protective clothing selection process.

Regulatory Climate Changes

January 1, 2005By Bill S. Forcade

Top issues in air quality management in 2005

In prior years one or two major issues have dominated regarding air pollution. This year, there will be a fascinating mix of significant issues, including hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), implementation of the new ambient air quality standards, Title V permitting, New Source Review (NSR), and enforcement.

Tackling Tough Contaminants

November 1, 2004By Russell A. Schuck, PG

Successful remediation of recalcitrant compounds starts with comprehensive site characterization

There are numerous case studies of failed remedial systems, which in turn can be linked to the remedial design team not fully understanding the site conditions. Often the most effective way to clean up these recalcitrant sites is source/migration control rather than intrusive remediation. The best solution can only be determined if the site is properly understood.

Caught in the Avalanche

October 1, 2004By Rodney L Pennington, PE

By creating large volumes of ions that charge particulate matter and allow it to be captured for removal, wet electrostatic precipitators help facilities exceed strict air quality standards

An existing consent decree (CD) provides that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was required to issue a final particulate matter (PM) CD no later than December 19, 2003, and that EPA had to sign for publication notices of proposal and final rulemaking concerning its review of the PM national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS).

The Media Is the Message

September 1, 2004By Richard Greco

The advantages of using random packed ceramic heat recovery media with regenerative thermal oxidizers to improve efficiency and reduce operational costs

Over the last several years there have been widespread misconceptions about which type of heat recovery media (HRM) is best for heat exchange and horsepower usage when used with a regenerative thermal oxidizer (RTO), a type of air pollution control technology used to destroy volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Clearing the Air

June 1, 2004By Chuck Wehland, Laurie Earl

A critical review of Clean Air Act legal definitions

Recent legal developments show that the Clean Air Act is broken. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the courts are responsible for the legal malfunction. The U.S. Congress has the authority to repair the statute, but may not have either the institutional will or a clear blueprint for doing it.

On the Horizon

May 1, 2004By Bill S. Forcade

Top issues in air quality management in 2004

2004 will prove to be an interesting year for air pollution control. Just as last year, New Source Review (NSR) reform will continue to dominate the landscape with legislative, regulatory and judicial efforts to swing the pendulum in favor of particular viewpoints. Media attention on the NSR issue may overshadow equally important developments in Hazardous Air Pollutant (HAP) control, more stringent Title V permitting, implementation of new National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and enforcement.

Spreading in New Directions

April 1, 2004By Erwin T. Prater

An overview and update concerning the role of computer modeling in air quality management, especially emergency response and planning

Many stakeholders -- including federal and state regulatory agencies, citizen groups, corporations, planning groups, industrial associations and legislative committees -- have been involved in the development of air quality management strategies.