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U.S. Department of Energy
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Waste minimization versus air pollution controls for a leather finishing facility

Conference ·
OSTI ID:124508
 [1];  [2];  [3]
  1. CONECO Environmental Corp., Bridgewater, MA (United States)
  2. Cadmus Group, Inc., Waltham, MA (United States)
  3. Marine Technology Corp., York, ME (United States)

This article presents a case study of a leather finishing company faced with meeting the requirements of Best Available Control Technology (BACT) for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) under the Federal Clean Air Act. A Comprehensive Plan Approval Permit Application, including a BACT demonstration addressing each of the facility`s VOC emitting leather coating lines was performed and submitted to the State environmental regulatory agency. The BACT demonstration was a top-down analysis of the environmental, economic, and energy impacts of available, technically feasible air pollution control alternatives. It concluded that a waste minimization plan consisting of coating reformation and process equipment modification represented BACT for the facility on the basis that it was the second most stringent alternative in terms of total VOC control, required the least energy use, generated no liquid VOC waste, and was the most cost effective alternative identified.

OSTI ID:
124508
Report Number(s):
CONF-940499--; ISBN 1-56590-014-6
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English