Gulf Coast Environmental Systems

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Case Study – EtO Sterilization

Executive Summary: Gulf Coast Environmental Systems was tasked with providing an ethylene oxide (EtO) abatement solution to a medical sterilization company to avoid a costly shut down.

Company Summary: This customer specializes in contract sterilization of medical and laboratory supplies. Founded in Puerto Rico 35-years ago, they pride themselves on maintaining long-term relationships with their customers, centered on ethical behavior and values.

2021 outlook sterilizationProject Summary: In some regions of the world, increased regulatory focus on ethylene oxide as a dangerous and carcinogenic volatile organic compound (VOC) have resulted in destruction thresholds being tightened from as low as 95% destruction rate efficiency (DRE) to 99.9% DRE, or less than 50 ppb. This higher rate in destruction efficiency is accomplished through changes in pollution control technologies, which some facilities have not had a chance to address. Facilities like this one are experiencing sudden and stringent crackdowns on EtO emissions, often resulting in shutdowns and fines. [Read more…]

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Improving CI Scores Through Pollution Control

CI Scores

Carbon neutral, carbon negative, green operations, sustainable processes… we have all heard the terms businesses and brands are using to show their environmental efforts and initiatives. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become a large focus in the fight against climate change, with many industries facing immense pressure to establish green policies and implement new technologies to reduce their carbon footprint.

CI ScoresAs organizations start or continue to “green” their supply and operations, different metrics must be examined in order to determine progress. One of the key performance indicators (KPI) that organizations are focusing on to determine their environmental effect is Carbon Intensity Scores. A Carbon Intensity Score, or CI Score, is a measurement of all total hydrocarbons, or greenhouse gas emitted, versus the amount of energy consumed. The exact units depend on the area of focus, but carbon intensity is generally measured as grams of carbon dioxide equivalent per megajoule of energy or fuel produced (gCO2e/MJ). It is a way of quantifying lifecycle greenhouse emissions of a product or process. Because of this, the movement to redefine “waste” has accelerated, and materials that were previously discounted or disregarded are now viewed as a valuable resource, waiting for the right application. [Read more…]

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Case Study – RTO Service and Upgrade

Case Study – RTO Service and Upgrade

Executive Summary: The customer, a municipal wastewater authority, was operating a Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer (RTO) built by a competitor which required excessive downtime and media changeouts which led to unstable operating costs. Gulf Coast Environmental Systems was tasked with upgrading this RTO unit in order to reduce time spent shut down for maintenance and repairs.

Customer Summary: This customer is a municipal wastewater authority, providing reliable and fiscally responsible wastewater treatment and resource recovery services to over 379,000 residents and businesses throughout a 125-square-mile service area of California. The agency provides essential services for protecting the local ocean environment, preserving public health, and providing valuable water resources for the region. [Read more…]

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PFAS in Landfills

PFAS in Landfills

By now, you have likely heard about PFAS, the “forever chemical.” What you may not know is that landfills are a major source of environmental PFAS contamination. So, what is this chemical, and how do we approach PFAS abatement in landfills?

PFAS in LandfillsWhat are PFAS and Why Are They a Challenge for Landfills?

PFOA & PFOS Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of man-made, highly fluorine chemicals, that are facing strict regulatory restrictions in the near future. Though there are nearly 4,800 different types of perfluoroalkyl substances, there are two that are commonly focused on because of their use in everyday household products: perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid. Both are considered stable chemicals, comprised of 8 carbons. The stability of these carbons and fluorine atoms is what makes them extremely persistent in the environment, and a problem in landfills, because they are very difficult to abate.

PFAS are incredibly common in the production of many consumer goods, from clothing and pots and pans, to food packaging and automotive parts. Because of their prolific use, they can be found in every landfill. These compounds make it into the air and soil in a couple of different ways, making it a challenge to control.

  1. Many facilities burn their solid waste in order to reduce overfilling at landfill sites.
  2. Wastewater, or leachate, from landfills can runoff into the soil.

These emissions of PFAS are troubling because PFAS are incredibly persistent, meaning they do not degrade naturally, over time. This is due to the stability of these carbons and fluorine atoms; this also makes PFAS difficult to abate. PFAS from landfills and wastewater facilities gave garnered a lot of attention in recent years, because of their known health risks. Studies have shown these higher levels of accumulation are directly tied to a number of concerning conditions, including liver issues, hypertension, developmental delays, high cholesterol, issues with immune responses, thyroid disease, pregnancy complications, and a number of different cancers. [Read more…]

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The Value of Carbon Dioxide

What is Carbon Dioxide?carbon dioxide

Carbon Dioxide is one of the most commonly found gases on earth. Its chemical formula is CO2, meaning it is comprised of one carbon atom covalently double bounded two oxygen atoms. CO2  is incombustible, colorless, and in the typical exposure concentrations, odorless gas, that is also water soluble. Carbon dioxide is the result of oxidization of carbon.

Where is Carbon Dioxide Found?

Carbon dioxide comes from both natural and anthropogenic sources, and is necessary for all living things.

Natural: Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring compound, that is released when living organisms respire or decompose. Carbon dioxide is also naturally released into the atmosphere by the oceans, volcanos, forest fires, and carbonate rocks. Natural sources, like these, produce more carbon dioxide than anthropogenic sources.

Anthropogenic: The sources of CO2 that get the most attention are anthropogenic, meaning human-initiated or created. These sources are a part of everyday life for most people, and are unavoidable in most cases. These human activities include transportation, power and heat generation, chemical and petrochemical production and use, fossil fuel use, manufacturing, agriculture, food production, etc… The carbon dioxide produced by the harvesting and use of fossil fuels gets the most attention as a contributor to climate change. Recently, the oil and gas industries have started taking significant steps to curb their CO2 emissions. [Read more…]

Company Profile

Gulf Coast Environmental Systems (GCES) is your custom solutions provider for pollution control systems, industrial ovens, systems engineering and field support worldwide. Our unique approach is to analyze your process stream and business objectives and propose an ideal solution or range of options to help you optimize these objectives. GCES is a one-stop shop: we provide engineering services, manufacturing, installation, commissioning and ongoing support. With our broad base of expertise and large installed global base, we are well-positioned to solve your pollution control issues.

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