(®) Westates Carbon EPA PROPOSED AIR EMISSIONS TEST PLAN U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY REGION IX, 75 HAWTHORNE STREET, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94105, FEBRUARY. 2004 Westates has submitted the final draft of the Air Emissions Comprehensive Performance Demonstration Test Plan to EPA. The test plan provides details on how the facility proposes to conduct the air emissions test and measure emissions coming out of the stack. The public is invited to provide comment to EPA until March 15, 2004. BACKGROUND characterize the gases leaving the stack. EPA will observe the air emissions test and then review and validate the results of the test. PRELIMINARY TESTING Prior to conducting the official test, Westates will conduct a preliminary test. The purpose of the preliminary test is to practice the testing procedures and resolve logistical issues in advance of the official test. EPA OVERSIGHT EPA will observe every aspect of the official test including: ~ stack sampling equipment ~ furnace operations ~ sample collection ~ preparation for shipping to a laboratory under seal, and ~ auditing the laboratory where the samples will be sent for analysis ~ EPA will review and validate the results of the sampling analysis If you have any questions or comments on the air emissions performance demonstration test plan, please feel free to contact: Stacy Brave at 415-972-3345 or by e-mail at braye.stacy@epa.gov or in writing to: US EPA, Region 9, WST-4 75 Hawthorne Street San Francisco, CA 94105 Westates is a hazardous waste storage and treatment facility located near Parker, Arizona on the Colorado River Indian Reservation. Westates treats spent carbon in a furnace to remove contaminants from the carbon. The contaminants are then processed through various Air Pollution Control Devices (APCDs) prior to being released to the atmosphere. THE AIR EMISSIONS TEST PLAN Westates submitted the air emissions test plan December 5, 2003. EPA is currently reviewing the final draft of the plan for completeness and compliance with applicable regulations. The air emissions test is designed to measure and ------- ~ Furnace Temperatures ~ Maximum Stack Gas Flowrate or Production Rate ~ Air Pollution Control Device Operating Conditions, and ~ Carbon Monoxide and Oxygen Levels in the Furnace and Afterburner 90 days after the test, Westates will submit a report on the air emissions test results to EPA for review and validation. The results of the air emissions test will also be made available to the public for review. A Sampling Train PREPARING FOR THE OFFICIAL TEST The spent carbon will be "spiked" with a known amount of chemicals prior to feeding the carbon into the furnace. Spiking is done to demonstrate that the furnace will be able to destroy more contaminants than the facility will normally feed to the system. The air emissions test includes the following organic and metal spikes: ~ tetrachloroethene ~ chlorobenzene ~ other organic chemicals representative of the types of carbon waste typically received ~ lead nitrate, and ~ chromium nitrate OFFICIAL TESTING After the waste is spiked into the furnace, air sampling in the stack will start. There will be three test runs, each run lasting about three hours. Stack gases will be collected in equipment called sampling trains (see picture above). After each run, the sample bottles in which the gases have condensed, called impingers, will be taken to a clean area, recovered and sent to a laboratory under seal..Westates proposes to collect the following: ~ Dioxins and Furans ~ Metals (volatile and semi-volatile) and other Risk Metals ~ Volatile Qrganics ~ Semi-Volatile Organics ~ Total Organics ~ Chromium 6 ~ Particulate and Hydrogen Chloride/ Total Chlorine ~ Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and Polychlorinated Biphenols (PCBs) MONITORING OF FACILITY OPERATIONS During the test, facility operating conditions will be observed by EPA to ensure that the furnace system is operating in accordance with the air emissions test plan. Some of these operating conditions include: ~ Waste Carbon Feed Rate RISK ASSESSMENT The air emissions test results will be incorporated into a site specific human health and ecological risk assessment. The results of the risk assessment will also be used to establish proposed operating conditions to ensure protection of human health and the environment. It is important to us to find out how you feel about the air emissions test plan. You may find a copy of the test plan for your review in the following locations: Colorado River Indian Tribes Library CRIT Administrative Complex 2nd Avenue and Mojave Road Parker, AZ 85334 928-669-1285 Parker Public Library 1001 South Navajo Avenue Parker, AZ 85334 928-669-2622 If you wish to receive additional publications from EPA on Westates or a copy of the air emissions tests plan, you may contact: Wenona Wilson tel: 415-972-3239 or (800) 231-3075 fax: 415-947-3528 e-mail: wilson.wenona@epa.gov mail: Wenona Wilson SFD-3, US EPA, Region 9, 75 Hawthorne St. San Francisco, CA 94105 ------- |