News @ EQ
EQ Employee Spotlight
John Wentz, P.E.
Senior Project Manager
Mr. Wentz has been a Senior Project Manager and Engineer since joining EQ in 1997 and currently is EQs’ Wastewater Group Manager. He has over 27 years of experience in the areas of industrial wastewater process engineering, compliance assistance, environmental consulting, and project management in the areas of water, wastewater, hazardous waste, site remediation, industrial environmental management, and sustainability.
Mr. Wentz has focused on the development, design, construction, and operation of water and wastewater treatment systems for potable water, industrial processing and manufacturing, food & beverage processing, pharmaceutical production, emergency response, waste site remedial actions, and innovative treatment technologies for waste. He has assisted industrial facilities in direct and indirect discharge permitting, negotiation of Consent Orders for facilities facing regulatory closure, completing Consent Order requirements, and corporate environmental management consulting..
Mr. Wentz received his B.S. in Civil Engineering from Purdue University and is a Registered Professional Engineer in the States of Ohio, Indiana, and Texas.
John Wentz can be reached at (800) 229-7495
Thomas Robertson, P.E
Director of Multi-Media Compliance
Mr. Robertson has over 35 years of experience in the waste management and environmental protection field. As Director of Multi-media Compliance for EQ, he provides strategic assistance to large and small industrial and manufacturing clients.
Mr. Robertson’s career has included Vice President of Environmental Programs at a fixed-based commercial hazardous waste Incineration facility, Vice President of Eastern Operations for a national environmental consulting company, and Project Engineer at the U.S. EPA. In these positions, he focused on compliance for facilities regulated by the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Toxic Substance Control Act, and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.
Mr. Robertson received an M.S. in Engineering Management from the University of Kansas and a B.E. in Environmental Engineering from the University of Florida; he is also a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Kansas.
Tom Robertson can be reached at (800) 229-5299
Jeffrey Slayback, P.E.
Senior Vice President, Private Sector Engineering and Consulting Division Manager
Mr. Slayback has over 24 years of experience in the environmental engineering profession, predominantly in the fields of air quality and pollution control. He directs EQ’s private sector engineering and consulting division, overseeing a staff of over 50 professionals located in five offices throughout the U.S.
Mr. Slayback’s experience includes a broad range of programs including regulatory compliance enforcement, and major and minor source permitting. He has extensive knowledge of a wide variety of air quality programs including those involving Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) and Nonattainment, state and federal air toxics analysis and risk assessment, RACT and BACT assessments, case-by-case MACT determination, and State Implementation Plan (SIP) preparation.
Mr. Slayback received a B.E.T. in Environmental Engineering from the University of Dayton and is a Registered Professional Engineer in Ohio and a Registered Environmental Professional.
Jeff Slayback can be reached at (800) 229-7495.
James G. Zody, P.E.
Senior Vice President, Program Manager for Remediation and Construction Projects
Mr. Zody was formerly a Civil Engineering Officer in the U.S. Air Force where he provided 26 years of service at various Air Force installations worldwide. His career has focused on the design, construction, and operation and maintenance of a wide range of engineering and remedial construction projects.
Mr. Zody puts his nearly 40 years of experience in the management and conduct of environmental remediation and construction projects to use as Program Manager for EQ’s $60M/year Remediation and Construction Projects division. His clients include the Department of Defense, NASA, U.S. EPA, local and state governments, and private sector manufacturing companies throughout the world. Projects he has workd on include small-scale single-site remediation, large multi-task order and site remediation and construction, and large-scale capital improvement construction.
Mr. Zody received a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Montana State University, an M.E. in Civil Engineering (Geotechnical) from Texas A&M University, and an M.A. in Business from Webster College.
Jim Zody can be reached at (800) 229-7495.
EQ Adds Senior Member to Corporate Management
James Wendle has joined EQ as President and Chief Operating Officer in the Cincinnati corporate headquarters. Mr. Wendle brings more than 30 years of engineering consulting and management experience to the EQ management team. Mr. Wendle’s extensive track record of successful management and corporate growth will help lead EQ on its continued expansion into new markets while improving upon our current client relationships and delivery systems.
The Journal of Environmental Monitoring Publishes Technical Paper Prepared by EQ's John Kominsky
In its April 2010 issue, the Journal of Environmental Monitoring published a technical paper prepared by EQ's John Kominsky in conjunction with representatives from Research Triangle Institute International, and the U.S. EPA's Office of Research and Development / National Risk Management Research Laboratory. The paper titled "A Model to Predict the Breathing Zone Concentrations of Particles Emitted From Surfaces" details the probabilistic model developed to predict the breathing zone concentration of a particulate contaminant emitted from a surface during activities of variable intensity. The model predicted the particle emission rate, tracked particle transport to the breathing zone, and calculated the breathing zone concentration for two scenarios. For more information, see the entire technical paper "A Model to Predict the Breathing Zone Concentrations of Particles Emitted From Surfaces" or contact John Kominsky at 1-800-229-7495.
EQ Wins Remedial Construction Contract in Saipan
The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) contracted EQ to conduct remedial action activities associated with PCB contamination at Isley Field, Saipan. Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. EQ personnel will perform a variety of tasks at the site, including: material packing and overpacking, sampling, transportation and disposal of PCB contaminated materials, preplanning, etc.
For additional information, contact Ron McManamy at (425) 673-2900.
The Journal of Air & Waste Management Publishes Technical Paper Prepared by EQ's John Kominsky and Fred Hall
In its March 2010 issue, the Journal of Air & Waste Management Association published a technical paper prepared by EQ's John Kominsky and Fred Hall in conjunction with representatives from Research Triangle Institute International, and the U.S. EPA's National Risk Management Research Laboratory and Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation. The paper titled "Development of the Releasable Asbestos Field Sampler" details the development of a sampling device that offers an alternative to activity-based sampling (ABS). The releasable asbestos field sampler (RAFS) utilizes a raking motion to provide the energy that releases particulate material from the soil and aerosolizes the asbestos fibers. A gentle airflow laterally transports the generated aerosol inside of a tunnel to one end where filter sampling cassettes or real-time instruments are used to measure asbestos and particulate release. RAFS provides a direct measurement of asbestos emission from soil in situ without consideration of meteorology and personal activity on the asbestos transport to the breathing zone.
For more information, see the entire technical paper "Development of Releasable Asbestos Field Sampler" on EQ’s website or contact John Kominsky or Fred Hall at 1-800- 229-7495.
EQ presented the following papers at the AWMA Conference in Alberta, Canada, June 22-25, 2010.
Quantitative Assessment of Releasability of Asbestos from Soil Using the Releasable Asbestos Field Sampler
By: John R. Kominsky, Fred D. Hall, Environmental Quality Management, Inc.; Jonathan W. Thornburg, RTI International; Glenn M. Shaul, William M. Barrett, National Risk Management Research Laboratory; James J. Konz, Office of Superfund Remediation & Technology Innovation.
Reduction of Mercury Emissions from Preheater/Precalciner Cement Kiln Through the Use of Thermal Desorption of Kiln Feed
By: Ronald L. Hawks, Environmental Quality Management, Inc.; James Schwab
Envirocare International, Inc.
Reduction of NOX Emissions From Stoker-Fired Coal Boilers Using Combustion Modifications to Create Staged Combustion Gases
By: Ronald L. Hawks, Environmental Quality Management, Inc.; Walter Waysok,
Theresa B. Obias, EQ Engineers LLC.
Verification of Microfine Lime® Theoretical Model for SO2 Removal in Precalciner Cement Plants
By: Ronald L. Hawks, Environmental Quality Management, Inc.; James Schwab,
Envirocare International, Inc.; John Brown.
Model to Predict Airborne Concentrations of Mercury from Broken Compact Fluorescent Lights
By: Fred D. Hall, John R. Kominsky, Environmental Quality Management, Inc.
EQ Conducts Demolition of Structures at Former Halaco Engineering Site in Ventura County, California
EQ was awarded a task order valued at $1,150,000 under a U.S. EPA Region 9 Emergency Response and Remediation Services contract for demolition of existing buildings at the Halaco Engineering Superfund site in Oxnard, California. From 1965 through 2004, Halaco Engineering operated a secondary metal smelter at the site for recovery of aluminum, magnesium, and zinc from scrap metal. Previous investigations determined that, in addition to a number of physical structures, an estimated 700,000 cubic yards of waste remain at the site. EQ crews initiated demolition activities at the site on February 8, 2010. The project included the decontamination and demolition of three on-site structures. Decontamination efforts included the removal of lead and asbestos, capture of free-standing dust from a baghouse and smelter buildings, filling of concrete vaults, and removal of numerous aboveground storage tanks.
In the end, the demotion operations generated 909.96 gross tons of scrap metal export for recycle, with a total estimated reimbursement of $224.800.
For additional information, contact Ron McManamy at (425) 673-2900.
EQ Helps Cleans Up Agricultural Chemicals from Pacific Islands
EQ helps collect and dispose of agricultural chemicals and some household hazardous waste from the U.S. territory of Rota, a Pacific island.
EQ collected and disposed of more than 130,000 pounds of agricultural chemicals and some household hazardous waste in July from the Northern Mariana Islands in the Pacific Ocean.
One two-day collection event was held on the island of Guam, and three one-day events were held on the islands of Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. All are U.S. territories. The events were open to the residents and farmers on each island.
About 15 to 20 different waste streams were collected for disposal, including some pesticides that are banned in the U.S. The wastes were transferred to treatment, storage and disposal facilities on the U.S. mainland via China by barge.
EQ conducted this $570,000 project for the U.S. EPA under its Region 9 Emergency and Rapid Response Services (ERRS) contract. Guam’s EPA requested the work due to wide-spread improper storage of pesticides and other agricultural chemicals by farmers.
“These types of projects, located in the remote Pacific, require a tremendous amount of planning and logistics to be successful,” said Jason Coury, EQ Project Manager. “This project was particularly challenging because we conducted four events over five days on four different islands.”
For more information, contact EQ’s Jason Coury at 425-673-2900.
EQ Cleans Up Anhydrous Hydrofluoric Acid from Defunct Chemical Plant
EQ responded to anhydrous hydrofluoric (AHF) acid leaks from a now-defunct chemical plant in Arkansas. The plant is located near a school and residential neighborhood.
EQ mobilized its “high hazard response team” for this $3 million project through its Emergency and Rapid Response Services (ERRS) contract with U.S. EPA Region 6.
EQ personnel were tasked with removing about 2,000 gallons of pure AHF acid, about 6,000 to 8,000 gallons of an AHF/sodium fluoride waste mixture, and about 15,000 gallons of an AHF, trichloroethylene (TCE), and Freon waste mixture from aging tanks and transferring the materials into railcars for disposal.
To prevent the release of AHF and TCE vapors during the railcar transfers, EQ is used two parallel in-line scrubbers fabricated on site. All transfers are taking place during “after school” hours.
Solvay Fluorides, the manufacturer of AHF, is taking the pure product at no charge.
Only one hazardous waste Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facility (TSDF), Veolia in Port Arthur, Texas, has agreed to take the other wastes.
Solvay had to secure special stainless steel railcars to transport the AHF wastes, and EQ had to nitrogen-purge all lines to remove moisture, as well as fabricate new lines or modifying existing lines as needed for the actual transfers.
Following the transfers, EQ flushed the associated plant piping, clean the tanks, and deconed the railcars.
For more information, contact EQ’s John Foster at (985) 863-9840.
EQ Permits Co-Gen Project at Ohio Paper Mill
A new $30 million co-generation facility in Ohio was started up thanks in part to air and wastewater permitting work completed by EQ.
The facility, which is currently under construction, is located at the SMART Papers paper mill in Hamilton, Ohio. The mill, originally constructed in 1893, produces high-end paper.
The plant previously generated steam from two coal-fired boilers to operate three paper machines and produced enough electricity to operate the facility. Now, the plant will turn more steam into electricity – enough to generate about 20 megawatts a year. The plant will use what it needs and sell excess power back to utilities. The boilers will also be eventually converted to run on biomass fuel, a renewable resource consisting of yard waste, industrial wood and fiber waste, instead of coal.
EQ was retained by SMART Papers to prepare applications for air and wastewater permit-to-installs. The air permitting efforts included an evaluation of the project for Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) and Non-Attainment New Source Review and modeling of the potential impacts. The permits were approved by Ohio EPA in 2008.
For more information, contact EQ’s Ken Hardesty or Jeff Slayback at (800) 229-7495.
EQ Receives a Patent
EQ and EnviroCare International (ECI) have received a patent (No. 7279039) from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on a method and equipment for controlling air emissions from cement plants (dry process, precalciner). Raw feed meal used in cement production is heated in a special heating chamber to drive off volatile compounds. The gases flow to the precalciner where they are combusted and rendered harmless. The process allows the use of feedmeal that contains higher levels of organic material. It also reduces the formation of secondary reactions with ammonia and/or organic species, which reduces total hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds, dioxins and sulfur trioxide aerosols in the stack gases. For more information, contact EQ’s Ron Hawks at (800) 229-5299.
