  |
|
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Aug. 18, 1998
98-139
Contact: Jani Gilbert, Public Information Officer, (509) 456-4464,
Pager (509) 622-1289
Grant Pfeifer, Air Quality Section Supervisor, (509) 456-3284
ROCK ISLAND - The owner of a large smelter near Wenatchee has reached a settlement with the state Department of Ecology regarding historic air-quality concerns.
The ASTech Corporation (AST) smelter, located in the town of Rock Island in Douglas County, produces silicon metal by heating several ingredients, including quartz rock and coal, in three electric furnaces. AST bought the smelter in May 1993 after the previous owner went bankrupt. More than 100 people are employed at the 56-year-old facility.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Ecology have alleged several cases of excessive smoke emissions from the facility over the years. In addition, prior to and immediately after AST's purchase, Ecology received complaints from nearby residents about the emissions. Ecology issued three notices of opacity violation to AST in 1993 and 1994, and the EPA issued a fourth one in 1994.
Although AST continues to object to the notices of violation, the company has agreed to a settlement that has three components: air quality improvements at the plant, a $200,000 civil penalty, and community education projects about air quality and environmental enforcement. AST will conduct some of the community education and will set aside money for the Wenatchee Valley Clean Air Coalition to continue its education efforts.
"Since purchasing the smelter in 1993, AST has moved aggressively to retrofit the facility to better control air pollution," said Grant Pfeifer, Ecology's air quality supervisor for Eastern Washington. "The upgrades have reduced particulate emissions, which had been a long-standing problem at the facility."
Before the upgrade, some of the emissions from the furnaces were collected by hoods and filtered by "baghouses" that work like vacuum cleaners. Those baghouses have since been refurbished with newer technology to increase their efficiency and capacity.
New ductwork to the baghouses has been added in some places where emissions had once been vented without treatment. As a result, some pollution sources that had existed throughout the entire history of the facility have been eliminated.
The settlement between AST and Ecology is intended to fully resolve alleged air-quality violations committed by AST between May 1993 and April 1997. The settlement was reached in consultation with the EPA.
"While we dispute the validity of the alleged violations as applied to AST, we are cooperatively moving forward to ensure the continued preservation of air quality in the Wenatchee area," said Jim Trunzo, president of the operating company. "We have been pleased by the positive comments our neighbors in the community have made regarding our facility upgrades. This facility is now in the best overall condition since its original construction."
In a related matter, the company has also denied the initial concerns by some that the facility emits crystalline silicon dioxide, a compound that can have human health effects. "At EPA's request, AST provided dust samples," said Trunzo. "And we also conducted laboratory tests and submitted the results to Ecology."
"Ecology has not commissioned an independent analysis," said Pfeifer. "Based on the information available to us at this time, we have no reason to believe that crystalline silicon dioxide was being emitted from this facility and, consequently, the health of the community and the environment were never in jeopardy due to crystalline silicon dioxide emissions."
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
