Air Toxics Compliance
Client: (Confidential) Synthetic Fabric Manufacturer
Challenge
A major manufacturer of synthetic fabrics needed to have air emissions characterized from two of its manufacturing plants. The process of making synthetic fabrics can generate a number of toxic air pollutants. These emissions are regulated under state and federal air toxics regulations.
Initiative
RSG provided a range of air quality analysis services in 2001 for this confidential client:
- Conducted facility-wide audit of all manufacturing products and processes used to create the synthetic fabrics
- Identified all regulated toxic air pollutants (RTAPs) generated by the manufacturing process
- Estimated emission rates of all RTAPs for all emission locations
- Developed a computer-based atmospheric dispersion model, which included emission locations, pollutant emission rates, buildings, topography, and meteorology, to simulate dispersion of pollutants from the facility into the atmosphere
- Compared model-predicted ground-level concentrations of all RTAPs with corresponding air pollution standards
- Identified measures to reduce emissions of any air toxic with the potential to exceed its air pollution standard
Results
We worked closely with the client to identify a plan that ensured compliance with all pertinent air pollution regulations. The plan included implementation of cleaner manufacturing products and minor changes to the manufacturing process. The project was successful: both plants met all relevant air pollution standards without compromising maximum manufacturing capacity.
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