Environmental Controls
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Daily industrial news and top headlines for plant and maintenance managers
PCS Nitrogen To Cut Emissions From LA Plant
May 24, 2013 2:14 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsPCS Nitrogen has agreed to reduce air emissions from phosphoric acid production at its Geismar plant. The decision came as part of a settlement in a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality. EPA and DEQ alleged that PCS Nitrogen Fertilizer LP violated the Clean Air Act by introducing phosphoric acid scrubber effluent into its cooling towers.
Kohler Ordered To Pay $9.6M In Patent Suit
May 21, 2013 2:20 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsThe Kohler Co. has been ordered in federal court to pay $9.6 million to a Massachusetts manufacturer for infringing on two of its patents for components that reduce exhaust emissions in marine generators. Jurors in U.S. District Court in Boston last week found Kohler willfully infringed on the patents issued in 2008 and 2010.
Second Life For Boeing Airplanes
May 16, 2013 8:00 am | by Boeing | Videos | CommentsBoeing has earned a reputation for its commitment to environmental strategies, positioning itself as an industry leader in developing ways to lessen environmental impact. One example of that is through its aircraft recycling program. Take a look at some of the ways Boeing is providing a second life to reclaimed and certified airplane parts and materials.
Ford Owners Sue: EcoBoost Engine Defective
May 15, 2013 10:16 am | by Dee-Ann Durbin, AP Auto Writer | News | CommentsThree Ohio drivers are suing Ford Motor Co., claiming the company's six-cylinder EcoBoost engine is defective. The lawsuit says the 3.5-liter V6 EcoBoost engine can shudder, shake and then rapidly lose power while drivers are accelerating.
Natural Gas Export Plans Stir Debate
May 13, 2013 2:28 pm | by Matthew Daly, Associated Press | News | CommentsA domestic natural gas boom already has lowered U.S. energy prices while stoking fears of environmental disaster. Now U.S. producers are poised to ship vast quantities of gas overseas as energy companies seek permits for proposed export projects that could set off a renewed frenzy of fracking.
NRC: 'Very Slightly Radioactive Water' Enters Lake
May 7, 2013 2:28 pm | by David N. Goodman, Associated Press | News | CommentsSeventy-nine gallons of "very slightly radioactive water" from a leaky tank at Entergy Corp.'s troubled Palisades Nuclear Power Plant spilled into Lake Michigan, a Nuclear Regulatory Commission spokeswoman said Monday. There is no risk to human health because the radioactive material was further diluted when it entered a storage basin before flowing into the lake, NRC spokeswoman Viktoria Mitlyng told The Associated Press.
BMW Factory Goes Green
May 7, 2013 1:25 pm | by NBC News | Videos | CommentsBMW's South Carolina factory goes green, by producing more than 40 percent of its energy on site, and gaining recognition from the Environmental Protection Agency. BMW's changes make more money and increase efficiency at the facility. NBC's Chris Clackum reports.
China City Quashes Protest Against Petro Plant
May 6, 2013 10:28 am | by Didi Tang, Associated Press | News | CommentsResidents say they are worried the plant would pollute the air and water, and question why the plant is being built in a region prone to earthquakes. Pengzhou is in the same fault zone as the 2008 Wenchuan quake that left 90,000 people dead or missing, and for an earthquake last month that killed at least 196 people.
Clean Technology Investors Shift Focus To Drilling
May 3, 2013 5:08 pm | by Jonathan Fahey, AP Energy Writer | News | CommentsA decade ago, large investors in so-called clean technology had a straightforward goal: finance companies that would help eliminate the world's dependence on oil, natural gas and coal. But as profits from wind, solar, biofuels and other alternatives consistently fell short of expectations — and as the fossil fuel business boomed — things got complicated.
The Hidden Cost Of Summer Heat
May 1, 2013 8:05 am | by Megan Browning, Big Ass Fans® | Articles | CommentsIndustrial facilities aren’t typically built with the comfort of workers as a top priority. High ceilings, large open spaces, and sizeable mechanical obstructions can make cooling manufacturing and warehousing spaces difficult. Uncomfortable working conditions lead to heat-related illnesses and decreased productivity, which negatively affect the bottom line of the business.
GE Sues Utility As Dredging Restarts On Hudson
April 30, 2013 1:44 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsGeneral Electric Co. said it sued a utility for a share of costs associated with the $1 billion-plus Superfund cleanup of the upper Hudson River on Monday, the day the fourth season of dredging began to remove contaminated sediment from the river.
NE Lawmakers Debate Approaches To Wind Energy
April 30, 2013 1:42 pm | by Grant Schulte, Associated Press | News | CommentsLawmakers have advanced a bill intended to attract more wind-energy companies to Nebraska as long as residents receive some of the benefits. The measure would make it easier for renewable energy firms to qualify for sales-tax exemptions under an existing state program — the Rural Community-Based Energy Development Act — that was created to encourage wind-energy projects.
Please Turn Out The Lights
April 30, 2013 8:00 am | by Krystal Gabert, Editor, Food Manufacturing | Blogs | CommentsAfter years of advice, prodding, urging and incentivizing, manufacturers are greener than ever, and so are their pocket books. According to statistics from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the average retail price of electricity for industrial customers has risen steadily from 5.05 cents per kilowatt-hour in 2001 to 6.82 cents per kilowatt-hour in 2011.
Wooden Solar Cells Shine Light On Cleaner Power
April 29, 2013 2:11 pm | by Reuters | Videos | CommentsResearchers at Georgia Tech University have developed an organic solar cell made of wood. The biodegradable, transparent films are designed to replace the layers of glass or plastic found in conventional solar cells, heralding the possible development of solar panels that are 100 percent recyclable. Reuters' Ben Gruber reports.
Environmentally Friendly Pest Management
April 29, 2013 8:00 am | by Patrick T. Copps, MS, B.C.E., Technical Services Manager, Orkin, LLC | Articles | CommentsThe push to use environmentally friendly methods in plant operations, including pest management, continues to gain traction. Conservation and recycling efforts now play a major part in our daily lives, whether at home, at work or at another public place. But what about your facility?
Tests Detail Pollutants At Former Ford-Owned Site
April 26, 2013 5:02 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsTesting on a site formerly owned by Ford Motor Co. in suburban Detroit where chemical solvents have been found shows pollutants are more widely dispersed than initially suspected. Results were discussed Wednesday at a public meeting, and there's concern a park and area homes could be affected.
Cement Maker Fined, To Cut Emissions At CO Plant
April 22, 2013 10:06 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsA cement manufacturer in Lyons has agreed to pay a $1 million fine and to install controls to decrease its emissions of the pollutant nitrogen oxide, the U.S. Justice Department and the Environmental Protection Agency announced Friday. The EPA had accused Cemex, Inc., which operates the Portland cement facility, of illegally modifying its Lyons plant in a way that increased the amount of nitrogen oxide the facility released.
KB Home, Ford Team Up On Energy Efficiency
April 19, 2013 4:02 pm | by Alex Veiga, AP Real Estate Writer | News | CommentsKB Home is teaming up with Ford Motor Co. in hopes of making energy efficiency a more compelling proposition to would-be homeowners who also drive hybrid and plug-in vehicles. The homebuilder-automaker partnership announced Friday doesn't involve any financial considerations, the companies said.
CAGI Data Sheets: An Apples To Apples Performance Comparison
April 17, 2013 8:00 am | by Werner Rauer, Compressors Product Manager, Kaeser Compressors, Inc. | Articles | CommentsComparing compressor performances across different manufacturers has long been a difficult task. For a many years, it was all too easy to present data that, although accurate, was potentially misleading. Manufacturers were selective about what information they published as well as what conditions they chose to specify performance. The result was a numbers game that the buyer frequently lost.
GM To Roll Out New Line Of Smaller Pickups
April 16, 2013 2:20 pm | by Tom Krisher, AP Auto Writer | News | CommentsGeneral Motors plans to roll out a line of completely revamped midsize pickup trucks, with gas mileage and features designed to take sales from Toyota's market-leading Tacoma. The trucks will replace the aging Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon. Mark Reuss, GM's North American president, said Tuesday that the trucks will be able to do 95 percent of the work that a big truck can do.
Honda To Open Energy-Efficient Plant In Japan
April 16, 2013 2:14 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsHonda Motor Co. opened to the press on Tuesday an environmentally friendly auto production plant in Saitama Prefecture near Tokyo scheduled to start operations in July. Green technologies include an advanced energy management system and solar power generation equipment introduced at the new plant
EU Lawmakers Veto Tighter Cap-And-Trade System
April 16, 2013 10:16 am | by Juergen Baetz, Associated Press | News | CommentsEuropean lawmakers dealt a blow to one of Europe's flagship policies on fighting climate change when they voted Tuesday against tightening the bloc's system of making companies pay for pollution. The European Union cap-and-trade system — the world's biggest — was introduced in 2005 in the hope of encouraging industries to reduce emissions and invest in greener technologies.
Feds: $5.5M From GM For Onondaga Lake Pollution
April 12, 2013 3:31 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsFederal authorities say they've settled the last piece of claims against General Motors Co. for pollution in central New York's Onondaga Lake. U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara says the $5.5 million agreement was reached this week in U.S. Bankruptcy Court with the trust handling the affairs of the automotive company, which filed for Chapter 11 protection in 2009.
Goodbye Fluorescent Bulb? Philips Says Yes.
April 11, 2013 2:11 pm | by Toby Sterling, Associated Press | News | CommentsIf you've worked in an office, you're probably familiar with the soft glow of fluorescent tubes drifting from the ceiling. If Europe's Philips brand is right, those lamps could soon be history. Royal Philips NV, the Dutch consumer appliances giant, said Thursday that it has developed an LED light that will soon be far more efficient than the best fluorescents on the market.
Brazil: Steel Company Must Move 750 People
April 8, 2013 2:10 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsThe state environment minister has called on a Brazilian steel company to immediately move around 750 people living near its plant in a Rio de Janeiro suburb. Soil there was found to contain up to 90 times the legal limit of toxic and potentially carcinogenic substances including lead and cadmium. Carlos Minc says the National Steelworks Company could be fined as much as $25 million for what he called "several environmental crimes."
