JAY – The Planning Board has approved International Paper’s request to amend its town air-emission permit to allow the company to burn 1.35 million gallons of used/waste oil in its power boilers annually, said Jay Environmental Code Enforcement Officer Shiloh Ring on Friday.
The company had petitioned the board to amend its license after emergencies arose this winter and the company said it had to burn used oil instead of No. 6 oil. The company violated the town’s permit issued under the Jay Environmental Control and Improvement Ordinance both times because there were no provisions in the town permit to allow the company to burn used oil in two power boilers.
Ring was notified both times of the emergency use when the company ran low on No. 6 oil and oil delivery was delayed, and when a fuel line was plugged up. In all, about 300,000 gallons of used/waste oil was used. During a third emergency, the company declined to use used/waste oil.
The company already has permission to burn as much as 5 million gallons of used/waste oil annually in its No. 3 power boiler.
The permit to burn used oil in the No. 1 and No. 2 power boilers in limited quantities would allow flexibility for emergency situations, such as fuel not delivered on time, oil-tank swaps and routine maintenance on the No. 6 fuel oil tank, and fuel line and heat exchanges, according to IP’s petition.
Ring said the company’s calculations submitted with its petition demonstrate that the use of used/waste oil would contribute additional emissions of metals, PCBs and halogens to the Androscoggin Mill emissions. Lead emissions associated with the used/waste oil would be increased by nearly a half-ton per year. However, burning used/waste oil in place of No. 6 fuel oil would reduce sulfur dioxide emissions by approximately 143 tons annually, according to the company’s calculations.
The amendment also specifies that the sulfur content of the oil fired in power boiler No. 1 and No. 2 would not exceed 1.8 percent by weight. No fuel other than No. 6 fuel oil, No. 2 fuel oil and specification used/waste oil would be burned, according to the company. IP is required to keep a log recording the use of the oil.
Comments are no longer available on this story