News @ EQ
EQ Wins Remedial Construction Contract in Saipan
On January 27, 2010, The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) contracted EQ to conducted 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.
EQ’s Mike Arozarena and Julie Wagner to Present at 2010 Environmental Symposium
EQ’s Mike Arozarena and Julie Wagner will be presenting at the 19th Annual MEC Environmental Symposium in Cincinnati at the Duke Energy Center on March 24 and 25, 2010.
Mr. Arozarena’s session, from 3:30 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. on Wednesday, March 24, is titled “SPCC Regulations Update & New Tank Integrity Testing Requirements…Best Management Practices to Prepare for the November 10, 2010 Deadline.” This interactive presentation will communicate how to cost-effectively comply with the new aboveground storage tank integrity testing requirements by the November 10, 2010 deadline. Regulatory requirements and available tank testing standards will be presented as well as instructions on how to perform the testing including a demonstration using the most up-to-date instrumentation.
Ms. Wagner’s session, from 8 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. on Thursday, March 25 is titled “Impacts of Proposed Climate Change Legislation on Energy, Environmental, and Regulatory Management & Compliance with the Mandatory GHG Reporting Rule with First Reports Due in 2011.” This presentation highlights recent climate change legislation developments as well as the potential effects and consequences of cap and trade policies. These developments include implementation of the new GHG rule and mechanisms for emissions quantification, monitoring and data collection as well as insights to the ongoing changes in Washington presented by Ms. Janet McCabe from U.S. EPA’s Office of Air & Radiation.
For more information, contact EQ’s Mike Arozarena or Julie Wagnerat (800) 229-7495. Further details pertaining to the MEC Symposium can also be found on their website.
EQ Grows Our Professional Staff
EQ welcomes John Irvine to our Pittsburgh office. John has over 14 years of experience in environmental compliance, permitting, and safety management for the metals and plastics industries. He is also experienced in multi-plant environmental compliance and health and safety coordination and management.
EQ has contracted the services of John Lawson to provide full-time engineering to assist the industrial wastewater and storm water groups. John brings 20 years of wastewater, engineering, and consulting experience to the EQ office.
To learn more about John Irvine and John Lawson and their growing areas of practice, please refer to their resumes on EQ’s website.
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 Removes PCB-Contaminated Fish from Texas Reservoir
Under the heading of “unusual requests,” EQ was recently asked to tackle a fish dilemma in a Donna, Texas reservoir.
The fish, which are the source of food and income to many inhabitants of the Donna-Weslaco area, are contaminated by an unknown source of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
Despite warnings about adverse health effects, many residents refused to stop catching and eating or selling the fish.
As a preventive measure, U.S. EPA Region 6 asked EQ to catch and dispose of contaminated fish from the reservoir, as well as 8 miles of connected canals and irrigation ditches. EQ also installed barriers to prevent more game fish from entering the contaminated waters.
Working in conjunction with the Texas Fish & Wildlife Agency, EQ removed about 24,000 fish from the waterways using electric probes, nets, and gaff hooks.
EQ conducted this project as part of its prime Emergency & Rapid Response Service (ERRS) contract with Region 6.
For more information, please contact EQ’s John Foster at (985) 863-9840.
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’s John Kominsky Publishes Peer-Reviewed Article
on Sampling and Analysis of Asbestos Fibers
EQ Vice President John Kominsky recently published a peer-reviewed article in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene on sampling for asbestos fibers.
The article, titled “Efficiency of Sampling and Analysis of Asbestos Fibers on Filter Media: Implications for Exposure Assessment” (Vol. 6: 62-72, January 2009), reports the results of a year-long research study to determine whether the pore size of filters used to collect airborne asbestos fibers can impact fiber retention efficiency. Low fiber retention efficiency can affect the count measurement and fiber size analysis used to determine whether asbestos is present in the air. Failure to properly measure the air concentration and distribution of fibers can result in an inaccurate exposure assessment.
The study demonstrated that the fiber retention efficiency of the 0.45-micrometer pore size is higher than that of the 0.8-micron pore size of mixed cellulose ester (MCE) filter media for asbestos fibers longer than or equal to 0.5 microns in length. For asbestos fibers longer than 5.0 microns in length, however, there is no statistically significant difference between the two pores sizes.
Many asbestos exposure risk models attribute health effects to fibers longer than 5 microns. In these models, both the 0.45-micron and 0.8-micron pore size MCE filter can produce suitable estimates of the airborne asbestos concentrations. However, some models suggest a more significant role for asbestos fibers shorter than 5 microns. Exposure monitoring for these models should consider only the 0.45 micron pore size MCE filters as recommended by the U.S. EPA.
Co-authors of the article include Daniel A. Vallero, U.S. EPA, National Exposure Research Laboratory in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, and Michael Beard (deceased) and Owen Crankshaw of RTI International in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.
This research study will be discussed at a March 12 congressional hearing (House Science & Technology Committee) on the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry’s (ATSDR) methods for assessing risk from asbestos fibers at contaminated sites.
For more information, see the article or contact EQ’s John Kominsky at (800) 229-7495.
EQ Permits Co-Gen Project at Ohio Paper Mill
In May 2009, 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’s Julie Wagner and Deb Leonard Present at 2009 Environmental Symposium
EQ’s Julie Wagner and Deb Leonard presented at the 18th annual MEC Environmental Symposium in Cincinnati.
Ms. Leonard’s session, was titled “Environmental Lemons to Community Lemonade.” This interactive presentation will communicate how the Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati is working to brand its 25-year, multi-billion-dollar program to overhaul sewer infrastructure in Hamilton County. The issue? Sewer bills will increase at rates of 12% a year (year after year) to pay for the improvements.
Ms. Wagner’s session, was titled “Going Green…..Case Studies in Sustainability and Green Initiatives Embracing Global Climate Change Efforts – Goals, Achievements and Challenges.” This presentation highlights sustainability efforts by P&G, the St. Bernard Soap Company, the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, and Environmental Quality Management, Inc., as part of the Hamilton County Go Green Challenge program.
For more information, contact EQ’s Julie Wagner or Deb Leonard at (800) 229-7495.
EQ Employee Becomes ASQ-Certified Quality Auditor
The Certification Board of the American Society for Quality announced on December 15, 2008, that long-time EQ employee Jackie Doan had completed the requirements to be named an ASQ-Certified Quality Auditor (ASQ CQA). As such, Ms. Doan has reached a significant level of professional recognition, indicating a proficiency in and a comprehension of quality auditing tools and techniques. Individuals who earn this certification are allowed to use “ASQ CQA” on their business cards and professional correspondence.
For more information, contact EQ’s Jackie Doan at (800) 229-7495.
EQ Cleaned Up Nevada Mine
EQ helped remediate one of the world’s largest pit mines, an abandoned copper mining, milling, and processing facility near Yerington, Nevada.
The project, conducted for U.S. EPA Region 9, involved closing five leach ponds and relining/repairing two others. The closures included removing sediment and pond liners, excavating contaminated sediment, and in some cases backfilling the pond. The contaminated soils will be bioremediated on site.
This $1.2 million removal action was initiated in September 2008 and completed in November 2008 as part of EQ’s Emergency and Rapid Responses Services (ERRS) contract with U.S. EPA Region 9.
EQ has conducted three prior removal actions at this nearly 3,500-acre site since February 2006. They included the removal and disposal of PCB-containing transformers, placement of a soil cap over about 75 acres of exposed sulfide tailing to reduce fugitive dust at the site, and similar work on other leach ponds. EQ also conducted a radiological assessment on a process area and subsurface assessment on the heap leach ponds.
For more information, contact EQ’s Joe Ficek at (425) 673-2900.
EQ Cincinnati Corporate Headquarters Expands Recycling Program
EQ’s corporate headquarters in Cincinnati has launched a new and expanded recycling program for employees. The office now recycles the following types of materials: paper and cardboard, plastics, metals, glass, used batteries, fluorescent bulbs, and computer parts. Recycling bins have been placed in several locations throughout the office building. In just the short time the program has existed, the recycling bins have been actively used. This means each week as much as 2 yards of solid waste is recycled rather than deposited to a landfill. The Cincinnati office plans to continue this early trend and expand it in the future.
The expanded recycling program is an important component of EQ’s Sustainability and Global Climate Change Program, which is expected to reduce our company’s carbon footprint by 8 percent by 2012 when compared to the 2007 calendar year baseline. The recycling program also contributes to EQ’s participation in Hamilton County’s “Go Green” Challenge.
For more information on EQ’s Sustainability and Global Climate Change program, visit our website or contact EQ’s Tom Robertson at (800) 229-5299.
EQ Wins $4.2 Million Ohio EPA Contract to Remove Buried Tires
The Ohio EPA awarded a $4.2 million contract to EQ to remove, process, and dispose of or recycle buried tires from four sites in Ohio.
The four sites include:
- Naypaver site in Trumball County: work includes draining a small lake and removing buried tires that had been used to construct berms around the lake. EQ has removed and processed about 74,870 tires from this site. The work is expected to be completed by October 30.
- Goss site in Newton Township, Muskingum County (south of Zanesville, Ohio): work includes removing and processing an estimated 1-2 million tires buried in former strip mines. The tires are buried under cover material consisting of dirt, trash, concrete, and other debris. To date, EQ has removed and screened about 19,500 cubic yards of this cover material to access the buried tires. About 2,551 tons of debris has been removed from the cover material and disposed of as solid waste, resulting in $250,000 in savings in disposal costs for the Ohio EPA. This work will continue as an ongoing part of the project.
To date, EQ has removed 650 tons of tires from beneath the cover material. The tires are being shredded using a Hog Zilla grinder and screened to remove metals and other residuals, leaving tire shreds that can be recycled. The ongoing project will ultimately process 1,000 tons of tires per week. About 20-30 percent of the processed tires can be recycled as Tire Derived Fuel (TDF) in permitted municipal boilers, paper plants, etc. - Brownie Airport in Union Township, Warren County (near Lebanon): The site contains about 10,000 tires buried under soil at the end of a runway.
- D/M/M site in Knox Township, Jefferson County: The site contains unknown quantity of tire residuals resulting from a tire fire in November 2002.
For more information, contact EQ’s John Mullane at (800) 229-7495.
EQ Cleaned Up Altoona Mine in Northern California
EQ helped to clean up mercury and arsenic waste from the Altoona Mine in northern California through its U.S. EPA Region 9 Emergency and Rapid Response Services (ERRS) contract.
This $4 million project involvded building a HDPE-lined repository in the side of a mountain to hold about 110,000 cubic yards of waste from the abandoned mercury mine, which is located near Castella in Trinity County. The repository was capped with a HDPE liner and 3 feet of clean soil. Site-wide restoration included hydro-seeding, tree planting and surface drainage controls.
About 29 EQ employees accessed the site each day from a remote camp in the mountains.
For more information, contact EQ’s Jason Coury at (425) 673-2900.
EQ Remediated Mold for U.S. Air Force
Mold is a common inhabitant of hot and humid places, and one that can be difficult to remove. When Homestead Air Reserve Base in Homestead, Florida, began experiencing issues with its HVAC system, mold moved in to four Visiting Officer Quarters (VOQs).
EQ was hired to repair the HVAC system, remove mold-contaminated walls in more than 210 hotel-like rooms, and clean the air, carpeting and furniture with HEPA filters. This $4 million project was awarded through the U.S. Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency (AFCESA).
EQ’s subcontractor, Super Restoration, Inc., is the largest mold remediation company in Florida. For more information, please contact EQ’s Phil Heikkila 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.
EQ’s Washington Office Managing Mine Remediation Project in Idaho
EQ’s Seattle Washington office is managing an ongoing remediation project at the Conjecture Mine site in Idaho. The removal action at Conjecture Mine is part of a comprehensive approach by U.S. EPA and the United States Forest Service (USFS) to address mine waste contaminants in the Gold Creek watershed. The purpose of the removal action is to mitigate the release of hazardous substances, including arsenic, lead, and manganese, from waste rock dumps and sediment along Gold Creek. Contaminated mine waste materials (approximately 40,000 loose cubic yards) are being removed from the site for deposition in a nearby waste repository. Mine-waste materials to be removed are identified by field screening, including visual observation and analysis by field portable x-ray fluorescence (FPXRF). Following removal of the contaminated materials, the excavated areas are being backfilled as necessary using fill from borrow sites on USFS land in the vicinity of the site. In addition, a clean stream corridor has been constructed for Gold Creek and its tributaries to restore hydraulic capacity and to prevent erosion and liberation of metals contamination. Construction of this corridor included removal of approximately 7,500 cubic yards of contaminated sediment and reshaping the topography to allow the water to flow through a clean and stable corridor. Regrading efforts are substantial, and include moving roughly 100,000 cubic yards of material to prevent waste rock from coming into contact with surface water. The location is remote, and the entire crew is staying on site in a 25 -room mobile camp complete with two cooks for meal preparation. The site is completely self-contained with lodging, food, satellite internet, satellite phones and cell phone boosters. For more information call Jason Coury at (425) 673-2900 or Bob McCullough at (800) 229-7495.
EQ Uses Remote Sensing Imagery for an Inventory of Vacant Land Soil Stability and Unpaved Private Roads in Nevada
EQ developed an inventory of native desert, disturbed stable vacant land, disturbed unstable vacant land, and private unpaved roads in Clark County, Nevada. This project was performed to meet the environmental commitment of the PM10 State Implementation Plan (SIP) to update the vacant land inventory using satellite or remote sensing imagery and ground truthing. The methodology for developing this inventory used multispectral imagery (from satellite high resolution imagery and aerial photography) and ground truthing to develop spectral signatures of the above land use types. These signatures were used to develop soil stability GIS layers that are compatible with Clark County’s Geographic Information Systems (i.e., ESRI data format and Nevada State Plane Coordinate system). For more information on this project, contact Fred Hall at (800) 229-7495.
