I am admittedly, and shamefully, a former climate-change denier. There. I said it! I believed that global warming was real, but thought that humans played little to no role in the process. It has happened before, and we need to stop obsessing over something we have no control over. I was not a person you would consider to be environmentally conscious, at all; in fact, those “tree-huggers” often annoyed me, with their suggestions that I make changes in my own life, to stop this process I didn’t think I had a role in. [Read more…]
Is There Money Hiding in Your Landfill?
What gases are released by landfills?
Landfills consist of a complex mix of gases and VOCs, and are a source of major pollution, and potential revenue… which we will address later in this article. Dangerous gases like methane(CH4), carbon dioxide(CO2), sulfides (SOx), and ammonia, are created by the decomposition and evaporation of organic compounds, as well as chemical reactions between waste components. Methane and carbon dioxide are the most prevalent, making up between 90 and 98% of all gases and VOCs released. 
Why are these chemicals a concern?
These gases and VOCs are considered greenhouse gases, and play a huge role in global warming. According to the EPA, in the United States, landfills are the third most prevalent source of methane, and other greenhouse gases. Another risk when dealing with methane is the flammability of the gas, which is incredibly high. When condensed into a small space, methane is considered an explosive, and should be handled with extreme caution. Landfill gas explosions are not uncommon.
In addition to pollution and the risk of exploding, these VOCs pose a serious risk to human health. They have been linked to eye, throat and lung irritation, nausea, headache, nasal blockage, sleeping difficulties, weight loss, chest pain, and even asthma. Some recent studies indicate a connection between air pollution, and Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and slow fetal development. [Read more…]
GCES Is Now In Mexico!
Gulf Coast Environmental Systems is excited to announce the launch of our Mexico and Latin America focused, Spanish language website. In the coming months, expect to see tips on navigating the many regulating authorities, advancements in pollution control best practices, tips for improving operating efficiencies, waste heat recovery suggestions and implementation techniques, etc.. With the launch of this site we are continuing our commitment to delivering our industry leading pollution control solutions throughout Mexico and Latin America. We have developed a network of resources to support Gulf Coast Environmental Systems in better serving you, our customer, and the unique needs of this region. These resources include:
- Ducting specialists
- Permitting partners
- Testing companies
- Compliance experts
- Government representatives
- Industry specialists
What are hydrocarbons?
What are hydrocarbons?
A hydrocarbon is an organic compound consisting of only hydrogen and carbon atoms. They are group 14 hybrids, which means they contain hydrogen, as well as atoms of the carbon 14 group; carbon, silicon, germanium, tin, and lead. Carbon has 4 electrons, which means it has exactly 4 bonds to make, to be stable. Another type of hydrocarbons are aromatic hydrocarbons, which include alkanes, cycloalkanes, and alkyne-based compounds. Hydrocarbons can form more complex compounds, like cyclohexane, by bonding to themselves. This is known as catenation.
Common hydrocarbons:
- Methane(CH4)
- Ethane(C2H6)
- Propane(C3H8)
- Butane(C4H10)
- Pentane(C5H12)
- Hexane(C6H14)
State By State Air Permitting Resources
With so many air permitting agencies across the nation it can be a bit confusing. What permits are required in your state? In your county? In your country? This list compiles many of the major permitting agencies for each U.S. state as well as many of the federal agencies. You may also find that your state has grants that may be available for you. We have shared information on many of the common air pollution prevention and air quality grants, those for water quality and other forms of pollution control are available on many of the state websites. Many of the grants for air pollution control are specific to energy usage and the implementation of an energy efficient Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer (RTO) is often the first step to qualification.
Clean Air Act Permitting and Air Permitting Related Services often fall into the Following Categories:
- Permit Application and Exemption Submittals to Regulatory Agencies
- Permit Condition Negotiations
- Air Dispersion Modeling Studies
- Compliance Audits, Assessments and Program Assistance
- Notice-of-Violation Technical Support
- New Source Performance Standards (NSPS)
- National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPS)
- Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD)
- Title III – Air Toxics/Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs)
- Maximum Available Control Technology (MACT) and Best Available Control Technology (BACT) studies
- Title IV – Acid Rain (Regulation 75)
- Title V – Operating Permit Program
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