Anotec cleans industry's smell

Cost-effective and environmentally-friendly odour removal for industrial use has been available for 20 years ---thanks to novel technology from ANOTEC.

The technology is based on the integrated and combined application of technologies for odour removal.

Current odour removal technologies such as incineration, adsorption and scrubbing, are energy intensive, expensive and require the use of ongoing chemicals and treatment of chemical by-products.

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Additionally, a coating / surfactant blend agent assists with the retention of the odour control which is rapid and instantaneous.

The Anotec 0307 material is of a self-contained, odour acontrol system that can be customised to suit different users.

The Anotec odour control process has the capacity to replace currently used odour control.

The technology is universally applicable and globally marketable.

The application of the technology has been in areas such as the city of LA, City of NY, Sydney Water, Thiess, Bhp Billiton. Korea, Onsite Rentals etc.

Odor Removal

By EVE M. KAHN
HOUSE BEAUTIFUL

"A friend just bought a lovely 1920s house, but it has layers of old smells, especially from fireplaces and tobacco. How can she get rid of them?"

RUTH TRAVIS (president, Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification): Smoke particles — from fire or cigarettes — are so fine, they penetrate everything. They get into wood and walls. They may have to be refinished or repainted. After all that, if the smell lingers, get a professional to bring in an ozone machine. Ozone molecules bond with odor molecules and effectively burn up the smells. As a last resort, upholstery can be ozone-treated too, off-site, which is great because the ozone really penetrates fabric.

What odors are hardest to clean?

Urine, milk, baby formula, gravy, blood, vomit, feces. They really adhere to fibers, and pet urine will soak everything, including floorboards. Cat urine is especially acrid. If the animal pees on the sofa, you could get the cushions professionally cleaned. Or get new cushions.

Are certain fabrics or rugs more susceptible to odors than others?

Any porous textile, synthetic or natural, holds odor. Cotton and wool are the most absorbent. Animals gravitate toward wool, maybe because it smells like other animals. Synthetics like olefin are less absorbent, although they do absorb oil more readily and hold onto those substances.

What should I do first after a spill?

Blot up as much of the smelly mess as you can right away. While you're blotting the upholstery, put a plastic liner or a garbage bag between the cushion and the fabric, if that's possible, so you don't push the contaminant into the cushion. Then flush with cold water as best you can. Blot and flush again. Cold water doesn't set stains as much as hot water. Or use a portable spot cleaner or wet/dry vac. If there's still a residual odor, use a half-vinegar, half-water solution and rinse again.

What if the accident is on the carpet? Can a professional cleaner get the odor out?

Sometimes. But you should get a good professional cleaning every 12 to 18 months anyway, to restore the color and remove surface dirt. Don't believe a cleaning service that says they can deodorize. They can't. You have to remove the source of the problem, even if that sometimes means putting in a new patch of carpet.

Is that true of moldy patches, too? Do they need to be taken out and replaced?

You don't want to mess with mold. Some people are highly allergic, and it can be a microbial hazard. If it's in your rug, that means it's probably in your walls and floors, too. You need to have a professional analyze the situation. It may be no big deal, but you need to be sure.

How about the musty mothball smell on furniture and fabrics left in the attic too long?

A professional dry or wet cleaning usually works, or you can leave the pieces outside in the sun. The more airflow around them, the better. Too many people seal their houses too well, to keep in the heat or air conditioning. The smells you don't want stay inside too.

For a lingering kitchen smell, do any particular room fresheners or sprays work?

They're all about the same. They mask the odor with a stronger, nicer fragrance for a while.

How about candles?

Candles are a terrible way of dealing with a household odor. The black smoke builds up over time. It gets into your ductwork, it leaves residue on the walls, baseboards, everywhere. And the residue is oily — the stronger the candle smells, the oilier the wax. The residue yellows your carpets, curtains, and upholstery.

What happens when, say, a mouse dies somewhere in the house?

It's awful, and it can last for months while the carcass decomposes. If you can find and get rid of the body, clean the spot with a Lysol disinfectant or a mixture of half water, half chlorine bleach. Make sure you wear rubber gloves, and don't get your face near the spot. If you can't find the body, or if it's a really nasty mess, you need to call in professionals to deal with it.

Sounds drastic.

It is, and often it's a job only for professionals.

So how can I find a good professional cleaner?

Our Website [certifiedcleaners.org] lets you search geographically for a professional and then narrow down the search by specialty, whether it's odor control, fire restoration, or mold remediation. Everyone we list has earned certificates in one or more of our dozens of very scientific coursework areas.

RUTH TRAVIS, PRESIDENT, INSTITUTE OF INSPECTION, CLEANING AND RESTORATION CERTIFICATION; CERTIFIEDCLEANERS.ORG; 800-835-4624; INFO@CERTIFIEDCLEANERS.ORG.

Reprinted with Permission of Hearst Communications, Inc. Originally Published: Odor Removal

Getting rid of ice maker's musty odor

I recently moved into a new apartment. The refrigerator has an ice-maker, but the ice from it tastes musty. I let the bucket fill up. Then I emptied it, cleaned it and let the maker start over, but it still smells. We don't use ice every day, so sometimes it sits for several days. It is not practical to turn the ice-maker off because it takes too long to make ice when we do need it. How can I rid the ice of its musty taste?

ANSWER:

I have a feeling that you need to replace the filter that sits between the water source and the ice-maker itself. That filter needs to be changed routinely, in the same way you change the filter on your furnace and air conditioner.

Look in the refrigerator's owners manual for specific instructions on how to do this. You should be able to pull the appliance out from the wall, follow that waterline back to where it's hooked up (probably under the sink) and find the filter in the process.

Mosheim Is Urged To Upgrade Sewer Dept. And System

The Town of Mosheim was strongly encouraged Thursday to consider hiring a full-time person qualified to run its Water and Sewer Department, as a way of getting control of current and future needs.

That recommendation was made by Brett Ward, a utility operations consultant with the University of Tennessee Municipal Technical Advisory Service (MTAS), near the end of a lengthy Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting.

Much of the meeting dealt with sewer odor problems.

Two chemical sewage treatment vendors made presentations to the board, at the invitation of J.C. Hurd, a full-time sewer system employee of the Town of Greeneville who also serves Mosheim on a part-time basis.

Hurd in essence agreed with the MTAS official, telling the board that he would be pleased if the town were to hire a qualified person, or choose one of its current employees for training that would lead to certification as a sewer plant operator and sewer collections operator, "and run me off."

Both Ward and Hurd said they believe that it would be in the town's best interest to have a full-time, certified person on the town's payroll.

Ward said that, in working with Mosheim over several years, "What I am observing is a lot of problems and issues dealt with by the most expedient manner.

"Whatever's easy, whatever's a shortcut, that's what we're gonna do" has been the norm, he said.

PART-TIME WORKERS

Ward said Mosheim has relied on part-time help and consultants, but it would be "maybe better if the town had its own certified (sewage treatment and collection) operator here, full time, paying attention to the plant."

The MTAS consultant said Mosheim needs to get a handle on the financial side of its sewer system, on what he called "enormous" maintenance expenses, and perhaps reorganize its utility department and its training.

"There are a number of really big issues we have never resolved, and they only get worse and worse, and really expensive," Ward said.

"The odor problem is an example of that," he said, but he added that sewer odor and system deterioration are two sides of the same coin.

A few months ago, Ward said, he wrote a letter to Mosheim Mayor Billy Myers, suggesting the town consider a full-time utility manager, or a full-time sewage treatment plant operator.

Mayor Myers did not comment during the meeting.

In a short telephone interview Friday, the mayor said that whether someone is hired full-time "depends on who I can find."

Myers said finding a person who is qualified and who is right for the job will be difficult and expensive.

"I'm not going to jump out and hire anybody, but I am going to be looking," the mayor told The Greeneville Sun.

Hurd said his agreement with Mosheim calls for him to do paperwork and monthly reports to the state, and "to take care of overflows" from the system when they occur.

Otherwise, Hurd said, he checks the treatment plant daily, "and I'm out of here. That's what I'm paid for."

Alderman Harold Smith asked Hurd what it might cost to hire someone "with your capabilty."

Hurd said the town would have to spend $900 to $1,100 per week to get someone capable of running the plant who would show up and do a good job, and handle necessary paperwork.

He said the ideal person would need to be the type of individual who would see that work is performed "exact, to the T."
Alderman Smith said, "That's what we need."

ODOR ISSUES RECOUNTED

Persistent odor problems from the town's sewer pump stations in several locations, including the town hall area, were discussed.

Bill Hyland, of Newburgh, Ind., with Weatherford International, said the town has a problem with hydrogen sulfide escaping from its pump stations, which he proposed to treat with a chemical.

Hyland said nitrogen sulfide is the second deadliest gas, after hydrogen cyanide.

He proposed free gas monitoring followed by a 30-day test of his chemical, at no cost to the town. Several other Weatherford officials were present at the meeting.

At the end of the meeting, the board voted to take Hyland up on his offer of a free 30-day trial.

Hyland said the chemical treatment has a corrosion-inhibiting side effect that would stop deterioration of concrete that is occurring, in addition to eliminating sewer odor.

John Rose, of Greeneville, proposed using a different chemical, made by Martin Marietta, to treat odor. Rose said this product, called Thioguard, is a semi-solid "slurry" very similar to highly-concentrated milk of magnesia.

Thioguard would also have an anti-corrosive effect, Rose said, and is "relatively inexpensive" and easy to use.

Rose did not offer a free trial, but also offered free testing like that offered by his competitor. Rose said his services in determining how much Thioguard to use, and where, are included in the price of the chemical.

Hurd said both products are used by Greeneville.

He said Rose sells this product to Bulls Gap, but the town does not use enough of it.

Rose said Bulls Gap uses enough of the chemical to control odor problems for its own citizens.

Bulls Gap is introducing enough of the chemical "to satisfy their needs in their communty," Rose said, but "because of limited resources" does not use enough to control the odor once sewage from Bulls Gap reaches the Mosheim system.

'SEVERE EROSION' CITED

At that point, MTAS consultant Ward began showing pictures taken at three pump stations. He pointed out that the pictures show "severe concrete erosion" at the pump stations in the vicinity of exit 23 on Interstate 81.

Alderman Harold Smith and engineer Kathy Walden of W&W Engineering said the pump station near the Greene/Hawkins county line is less than five years old.

Ward pointed out what he said was evidence of "ground water leakage" into the pump stations, due to severe erosion.

WARNS OF POSSIBLE FAILURE

The MTAS consultant predicted that this pump station could "catastrophically fail" within the next five years, if deterioration continues at its present pace.

During the discussion, Alderman Gregg said, "Had chemicals been used years ago, we wouldn't have this damage now."

Ward agreed, and said, "Ronnie (Carmichael) might still be here with us, too. Hydrogen sulfide is a deadly poisonous gas."

Carmichael, 49, a longtime town employee, and Jeremy Goforth, 21, also a town employee, died July 28, 2008, while working inside a sewer pump station in Mosheim.

In January, the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development's Division of Occupational Safety and Health cited the town for a number of safety violations related to the incident, and assessed penalties totaling $42,200.

Regarding Ward's comment, Alderman Gregg said, "That goes back to education on our part. If, 10 or 15 years ago, if we had heard what we've heard tonight, things might be different."

Ward replied, "That's what MTAS is here for. You've already paid for us, use us. We're part of your tax dollars at work; use us."

When discussion returned to damage of pump stations that Ward said he believes is caused by sewage from Bulls Gap, he said, "I think you've already got the tools you need to compel Bulls Gap" to do more pre-treatment to the sewage it sends to Mosheim for treatment at the Lick Creek Valley Wastewater Treatment Plant, which the town operates.

Ward said the contract between Bulls Gap and Mosheim includes a pre-treatment agreement, and the purpose of such an agreement is to protect the system and workers, and the treatment plant, though some legal issues may be involved.

He suggested that Mosheim might consider imposing a hydrogen sulfide limit on the sewage it accepts. With such a limit, the town could compel pretreatment, he said.

Source: The Greeneville Sun BY TOM YANCEY STAFF WRITER

Odors out of control again at Bourne landfill

BOURNE - The latest outbreak of hydrogen sulfide odors at the Bourne landfill off MacArthur Boulevard will be brought under control by the Fourth of July holiday period or the board of health may take action.

The issue stretching back to 2008 seemed to be resolved this spring, but seven weeks of wet weather, northeast winds and failures in the gas-recovery system at the landfill have all contributed to the odor problem.

Acting Landfill General Manager Dan Barrett said piping in the flare system has been repaired, and he said the lingering odor issue could be solved prior to the holiday period when visitors arrive.

“The odors are completely out of control again,” Galon “Skip” Barlow, board of health member, said. “We don’t want to rein in the landfill, but this has to come under control; the problem has got to be fixed. We have to take action.

“This has an effect on the whole community,” Barlow said. “And it’s not a positive thing. We want a landfill the community can live with.”

Town Administrator Thomas Guerino said additional laborers and equipment operators as necessary would be made available to landfill operations. He said an operational audit of the operation should produce recommendations in six weeks that might help matters.

Barlow says sand should be used as daily cover of trash. He said this hikes disposal costs, but it would also end escaping odors that have plagued the facility for months.

Barrett says sand, because it is permeable, is not the best option. He says ash from the SEMASS waste-to-energy plant in Rochester might be delivered and used instead of material known as auto-shredder cover.

Barrett says the production of gas in a disposal cell has speeded up, causing problems that become quickly known when odors escape and landfill neighborhoods complain.

Barlow says Barrett should “do whatever has to be done” to eliminate the problem. “This is really going to come to a head this time,” Barlow said.

Selectman Jamie Sloniecki said sand as daily trash cover may be a reasonable idea worth discussion by his board.

Barrett agrees the problem must be resolved.

“This facility needs to move forward,” he said. “We’ve got a problem. We have to get over it. We’re taking immediate steps and longer-range steps. We’ll get this under control so we can move forward.”

The board of health on Wednesday night unanimously voted to take no action on the odor issue. If the problem is not corrected in two weeks, members agreed, other unspecified action against the landfill might be taken.

workers getting sick from odor

For the past several weeks, workers at HAPCO on Hillman Highway in Abingdon have complained that an odor has been blowing into the plant, making them sick. “Seems like it just creeps up on you,“ says employee Tim Grubb, “and you really don’t notice it until it’s about got its full effect on you.“ Workers say it is a perfume type of smell that is just overpowering. “Leaves a taste in my mouth,“ says Ralph Kiser.

HAPCO believes the odor is coming from nearby MXI. But MXI says they weren’t even operating this morning, when 56 HAPCO employees complained of the smell. Brian Potter of MXI doesn’t deny an odor coming from his plant, but says there is a “high likelihood” that whatever is causing the sickness is not coming from MXI. HAPCO shut down its operations for two hours this morning to let employees recover from what they described as the worst odor yet.

The Department of Environmental Quality is working with both plants to find the problem, and the solution. They have sent letters to MXI, requesting they us the best available control technology. MXI says they are looking into helping solve the problem, even though they aren’t convinced they are the cause. They are trying an odor masking agent to see if it helps.

HAPCO says the safety of their employees is the main concern. “People having to breathe it,“ says Kiser, “and they say they get dizzy headed, and you know, they’re welding, running saws, and presses and stuff like that, it’s real dangerous.“ But they also say when they have to stop production, it could hit them in the wallet as well. “We can lose customers,“ says employee Jason Cook, “if it doesn’t meet the due dates, it gets the whole plant behind.“

Doctor slams Alcoa expansion

Article from: PerthNow

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John Flint

A LEADING doctor has savaged the State Government's decision to approve Alcoa's massive expansion at Wagerup.

Andrew Harper yesterday said the move was ``outrageously irresponsible''.

Dr Harper, an occupational physician and medical practitioner with extensive expertise in chemical injury, was a member of the Government-appointed Wagerup Medical Practioners' Forum, which investigated chronic illnesses suffered by people living near the alumina refinery, 120km south of Perth.

The forum, chaired by the highly respected D'Arcy Holman, strongly advised against the expansion.

The Government recognised Dr Harper's expertise when it appointed him to investigate the Agent Orange saga involving government workers in the Kimberley.

Dr Harper said the health-risk assessment for the Wagerup expansion was fundamentally flawed, and ensuring that individual compounds -- from a mix of 260 contained in the chemical plume -- did not exceed accepted levels was no guarantee that more people would not get sick in future.

``All this talk about stringent conditions is crazy,'' he said.

``We have learnt in the experience of

Wagerup that all the health problems which have arisen from 1996, both on the worksite and in the community, have occurred when the emission levels have been within normal limits.

``We are measuring single chemicals independent of each other. It's clear that it is the mixture and probably the multiplicity that produces the toxicity.

``The monitoring does not protect people or identify the problem. These so-called stringent standards are misleading and they are ineffective, as proven already.''

Announcing the expansion approval on Thursday, Premier Alan Carpenter said: ``There is no way that this Government would have considered the expansion of this project if we had advice or we believed that people's health was being put at risk.''

But the Government did receive such advice from the Wagerup Medical Practitioners' Forum -- which it established and whose advice it had followed before.

``The forum said there was no basis whatsoever to reassure people that expansion would be safe -- and that was from an independent bunch of doctors experienced in the whole area,'' Dr Harper said.

He said he was appalled that the Government was selling the expansion -- which includes an offer for locals to have their homes bought out by Alcoa -- as a wonderful thing.

``My opinion is that the Government is working as an agent for Alcoa and not the community . . .
Alcoa have spent millions on improving the engineering and yet there are people who are 8km from this place who are very ill and have got ill since these improvements.''

In its advice, the Environmental Protection Authority said the Government would have to recognise ``policy and ethical questions as to whether expansion of the refinery should be considered while there continues to be unresolved health issues related to chemical sensitivities''.

The Health Department also acknowledged that people had become sick, despite there being no breach of emissions guidelines.

``The short-term plume strikes are recognisable by the public because they are often associated with a (wet cement) odour and have been linked to times when the prevailing wind is from the direction of the refinery . . . no health guidelines are available to assess the impact of these short-term plume strikes,'' the department submitted.

Environment Minister Mark McGowan did not consult the Government's new Environmental Health Foundation before making his decision on the

Wagerup expansion, despite the fact that it was set up to provide independent scientific advice to the Government on the potential impact of industrial emissions on environmental health.

The foundation, established by Mr McGowan's predecessor Judy Edwards and chaired by Charles Watson, of Curtin University, was set up as a direct result of the Wagerup issue.

Alcoa said it was committed to implementing the expansion with no increase in noise, dust or odour impacts.

``Extensive scientific investigations have shown both the existing and expanded refinery are safe for our employees and neighbouring communities,'' managing director Wayne Osborn said.

Environmental Performance Card for Companies Launched

Ahmed Shaaban

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DUBAI — Industrial companies can now volunteer to have their environmental performance assessed under a certificate scheme launched on Tuesday by the Ministry of Environment
and Water.

The UAE Minister of Environment and Water, Dr Rashid Ahmed bin Fahd, announced a 100-mark Environmental Performance Card (EPC) certificate to check the industries’ commitment to health, safety and
environment policies.

“The door is now open for nearly 4,500 institutions under the industrial sector to voluntarily seek local accreditation in terms of their environmental performance,” Dr Fahd said.

Noting that several workshops had earlier been held to raise the industrial institutions’ awareness about the certificate, senior environmental researcher Yahya Al Balushi said the card, to be renewed on an annual basis following several inspections, may be mandatory later.

“The EPC is meant to be optional just like international accreditation certificates, ISO for instance, to smoothly help industrial institutions here take responsibility toward environmental protection and prevention of pollution,” Al Balushi said.

“As per the UAE sustainable environmental strategy, industrial institutions need to abide by the regulations of the Federal Environmental Law for the Protection and the Development of the Environment No 24/1999.”

Dr Fahd then said the card will add to the institutions’ marketing benefits, and show their adherence to the set environmental goals on local, regional and international levels.

Observing that the move will create the best competitive opportunities for the industrial processes and products in the market, Dr Fahd said the certificate includes the introduction of cleaner production concepts.

“The reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to international standards, increase of production efficiency in industrial operations, and prevention of adverse public health risk effects are also stipulated,” he said.

The minister then pointed out that the chemical, cement, plastic and metal industries shall be given further attention for being more extensive and posing risk to public health.

Khaleej Times reported this month regarding the residents’ concerns about gas odour originating from the Hamriya Free Zone though the zone has denied the issue.

Meanwhile, the UAE cabinet had in May 2008 issued a law to prevent pollution caused by stone crushers at
the quarries.

The 103 crushers operating in the country, mostly in Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah, have been granted a one year deadline, ending in mid-July 2009, to make improvements, after numerous complaints of asthma and respiratory problems from the residents there.

The minister then indicated that the EPC-granting mechanism will make comprehensive assessments of environmental elements.

“A specialised EPC team is to review the content of the environmental permit obtained from competent authority and environmental impact assessment (EIA) study conducted by industrial institutions in the country,” he said.

“Self-inspection polices and procedure in work place should be adopted as well, let alone management of chemical substances, integrated management of hazardous and non-hazardous wastes, treatment and reuse of domestic and industrial wastewaters, noise, odour hazard and nuisance control.”
ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com