Document 6BQ4QdmdQvLNY6kRKRw8z9GO6

THIS COPY FOR: T. FROM E. B. Parker Rockdale Works Bonney - Pittsburgh TO Mr. D. 0. ^cGregor Rockdale Wotks November 6, 197^ - MONTHLY LETTER - ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT OCTOBER, 1974 Safety and Industrial Hygiene Year-to-date safety statistics at the end of October were as follows: Frequency Severity Sum ' 3.10 .29 3.39 During the month we experienced 120 Company injuries including 11 serious injuries. Unit VI of the STOP Program was presented to the Managers. Three Red Cross Multimedia First Aid Training sessions were held and Ik Girl Scout leaders were among the group successfully completing the courses. Mr. Dick Shackelford, Hearing Conservation and Noise Control, Inc., visited the Plant on October 17 and 18, 197^. Mr. Shackelford met with the Safety and Health Committee on October 17 and reported to the group on the results of our hearing tests. He also expressed great satisfaction that while on a tour with the Safety Director, he had found that employees were faithfully wearing their hearing protection. Sixty-three employees successfully completed the Vehicle Operators' Training Course during the month - 5^- hourly and 9 foremen. Results of the spring urinary fluoride survey were discussed with employees. The fall urinary fluoride survey was completed.At Dr. M. F. Jones' suggestion, those employees who had repeatedly shown high preshift results were requested to participate in additional tests. Government Agency Contacts Representatives of the Texas Air Control Board spent two days evaluating an in-line SO2 - NOx monitoring system which they had purchased from Envirometrics. Notification of violation of the total Suspended Solids limit of our new TWQB water discharge permit was submitted to Board staff member Joe Sorrells. ARCH 18847 r*44C (WIV !) Mr. D. D. 'McGregor November 8, 1974 Page Two A report was submitted to the Texas Water Quality Board outlining Rockdale's plan for conplying with the new TWQB water discharge permit. Comments on Rockdale's proposed NPDES permit were submitted to EPA. Included were requests for changes in the sampling methods and frequencies, changes in the limits for certain pollutants, and for deletions from the list of pollutants to be determined. , Discussions were held with the Texas Water Quality Board on our proposed Class I waste disposal site and the registration of other disposal sites at Rockdale. Emissions Test Data Air . . Quarterly testing of potroom scrubbers was completed. Results indicated a 30)6 reduction in total fluoride emissions. This would indicate that the recent increased attention to scrubber performance has been beneficial. Water Toteil suspended solids at Outfall 002 exceeded the limits of our TWQB permit, and fluorides were higher than normal. This situation was a result of high rainfall during October. Environmental Control Activity Replacement of pall rings with slat-type mist eliminators was completed in all potroom scrubbers. Two complete Alcoa 398 units were rebagged in October. One of these underwent a complete Venturi resealing. The first of the power plant electrostatic precipitators was placed on stream in late October. Maximum output of the generating unit was 110 MW compared with 120 MW rated capacity. Reasons for this low value are being sought. Alcoa 446 checking began in October. Start-up of the first elements or the system are scheduled for mid to late November. A Lear Siegler continuous opacity monitoring instrument was selected for use in the power plant stacks. ARCH 18846 Mr. D. D*.'McGregor November 8, 1975 Page Three Conditions Requiring Attention Generation of nuisance dust during ore unloading. No activity ) ! High fluoride in run-off water from spent potlining storage pile. Design of the new Class I waste disposal site neared completion. The plan calls for a plastic lined pit to be used for storage and disposal of fluoride containing wastes. This approach has the tentative approval of the Water Quality Board. High levels of asbestos dust during Marinite sawing. . Additional tests indicated little change in exposure to asbestos dust during Marinite sawing. Efforts to substitute a ceramic material for Mainite in Properzi spouts continued. High dust emissions from the Lignite Crushing area. Mechanical installation of the new rotoclone was completed. Electrical hook-up remains. Excessive dust emissions from upper levels of Bldg. 55. Ductwork revisions to the butt mill system and the CC62 dust collector were completed. Revisions to the Carbon Plant precipitator system progressed satisfactorily. Coal Tar Pitch Volatiles No activity High dust levels in the Carbon Plant Butt Mill area. Experimental revisions to the mills draft system are being designed in hopes of improving the ability of the collection system to capture dust generated during butt crushing. Solid Waste Disposal Design of the Class I waste disposal pit was essentially completed. Forms to be used in registering Rockdale's waste disposal sites ` with the Texas Water Quality Board were received. ARCH 18849 Mr. D. D.-McGregor November 8, 1974 Page Four Replacement of Lignite Dryer Venturi Scrubbers Re-examination of a test panel of the proposed FRP replacement material was made after additional exposure. Results were encouraging. The panel is to be examined again about December 1. If no further problems are evident, it is planned to order the first FRP replacement vessel. . General I Mr. W. E. Korenek, Bag Changer Foreman, spent a week at Vancouver observing and assisting in Alcoa 446 operation. Mr. E. B. Parker attended the October meeting of the Texas Air Control Board. Mr. Arthur Busch, Regional Administrator of EPA Region VI ' addressed the Board. ' Dr. P. E. Fredette accompanied a representative of Gilbert Associates on a visit to Rockdale to review power plant electrostatic precipitator performance testing procedures. E. B. Parker EBP:ak Copies: P. R. Atkins - Pittsburgh T. B. Bonney - Pittsburgh V. W. Rieke - Pittsburgh A. A. Rambikur - Pt. Comfort B. M. Starner - Rockdale H. N.Mueller - Rockdale L. E. Drake - Rockdale A. G. Clayton - Rockdale ARCH 18850