JAY – The Planning Board has extended the deadline for Wausau Paper to submit a study on acid soot emissions until February.
Paper mill officials had hired a company to perform the study, but weren’t satisfied with the results because there was no background information that could be submitted to the board, said Jay Environmental Code Enforcement Officer Shiloh Ring on Wednesday.
Acid soot is released into the air through the stack at times and has been for years, landing on people’s vehicles and property downtown. It has done some damage, including paint removal.
The mill was expected to submit the study by Nov. 30. Instead, it submitted a summary of a preliminary engineering study on the Otis steam plant about the generation of acid soot.
The following actions have or will be taken as a result of the study dated Nov. 30:
• Further evaluate the operational parameters conducive to efficient boiler operation, which do not lead to the generation of acid soot.
• No. 1 boiler was taken down Oct. 16 to replace several sections of air pre-heater tubes that had allowed excess air to enter the combustion chamber and severely impair operational efficiency. The repairs were completed on Nov. 5 and a definite improvement has been seen in the operation of No. 1 boiler since the repairs.
• As a result of the air pre-heater tube failure on No. 1 boiler, Wausau Paper will implement a preventative maintenance inspection (camera scoping) of the air pre-heater tubes on all the boilers. The inspection will occur annually during the maintenance shutdown.
• Purchase a portable oxygen meter to be used on No. 3 and No. 4 boilers. An oxygen meter is already installed on No. 1 boiler. It is used to monitor the oxygen level in the combustion chamber.
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