In this report - Energy Leader · 7/30/2013 · Scrubbers are common at asphalt and concrete batch plants, coal-burning power plants, and other facilities that emit sulfur oxides,

In this report: Air Pollution Control

Issue 50 • July 30, 2013

• Technologies and Applications

• Vendors and Products

• Policies and Regulations

• Q&A with Owens Corning

Photo: ©iStockphoto.com/afhunta

EL Insights | © 2013 Environmental Leader LLC. Single license EL PRO subscription can be used by one person. For multiple users, purchase an enterprise license by emailing [email protected] for information.

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EL Insights: Air Pollution Control

Air Pollution Control at a Glance

Air emissions control is a crucial part of sustainability for companies in many industries. Firms are

obligated under law to restrict emissions of a variety of substances, with regulations varying widely by

sector and country; but some of the most commonly regulated emissions include carbon monoxide,

nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, lead, particulates, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), ammonia, mercury,

metals and hydrogen chloride – and also ozone, which companies don’t emit directly, but which forms

from gases they do emit.

This issue of EL Insights will look at what companies from a variety of sectors can do to reduce their

emissions of airborne pollutants, and at the state of the emissions control industry. Since we have

covered and continue to address carbon dioxide emissions from a variety of angles, this report will avoid

discussing carbon reductions, but we will address several other greenhouse gases.

Technologies and Applications

Source and process control

Perhaps the most effective way to prevent air pollution is at the source, reducing the amount of pollutants

created by a particular process – rather than simply capturing or treating the resultant pollutants. Often

companies must use emissions control technology as well, but source reductions are a good place to

start. Such reductions fall into a few basic categories:

Reducing the amount of fuel used

Minimizing waste generation, or reusing byproducts


3

Reducing the amount of raw materials used1

Making material substitutions: For example, companies can use non- or low-VOC solvents and

coatings to help reduce ozone creation.2

Maintenance: For example, by keeping combustion equipment properly maintained, companies

can avoid using excess fuel. In chemical reactions, they can improve parameters such as

temperature and mixing to reduce the amount of raw materials consumed and waste generated.3

Engineers can help reduce nitrogen oxide formation from furnaces by changing the flame

temperature, the time air remains in the combustion change, or the mixing rate of fuel and air.4

Emissions control equipment

Companies choose their control technology based on the type of pollutant, stationary source conditions,

and control efficiency needed.5 Pollutant profiles vary considerably by industry, and certain types of

control equipment therefore tend to be used by certain sectors. For example, the biggest industrial

emitters of VOCs are petroleum and related industries, solvent utilization, and storage & transportation

(see chart, p.5).

1 CED Engineering, Selecting the Best Air Pollution Control Strategy.

http://www.cedengineering.com/upload/Selection%20APC%20Strategy.pdf

2 http://www.cleanairworld.org/TopicDetails.asp?parent=7



4http://www.iowadnr.gov/Environment/AirQuality/HowAirPollutionIsControlled.aspx

5 Air and Waste Management Association, Fact Sheet: Air Pollution Emission Control Devices for Stationary Sources.

http://events.awma.org/files_original/ControlDevicesFactSheet07.pdf

http://www.cedengineering.com/upload/Selection%20APC%20Strategy.pdfhttp://www.cleanairworld.org/TopicDetails.asp?parent=7http://www.cedengineering.com/upload/Selection%20APC%20Strategy.pdfhttp://www.iowadnr.gov/Environment/AirQuality/HowAirPollutionIsControlled.aspxhttp://events.awma.org/files_original/ControlDevicesFactSheet07.pdf


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Some of the most common types of air pollution control equipment are:

Bag houses/fabric filters: These devices feature filter bags, made from any number of materials

(including paper, cotton, Nomex, polyester, fiberglass, Teflon, and spun stainless steels), hanging in a

sturdy “house.” The bags remove particulate matter found in smoke, vapors, dust or mists. Particles stay

on the filter and eventually form a dust cake that is disposed of or re-used in industrial processes. Fabric

filters can collect over 99.9 percent of entering particulates, including fine particles, but bag and house

wear can reduce their efficiency. The dust cake must be removed carefully to prevent airborne releases.6

Some companies have equipped bag houses with catalytic bags, so the devices can perform two types of

pollution control at the same time. Fabric filters and bag houses are used at asphalt batch plants,

concrete batch kilns, steel mills, foundries and fertilizer plants, among other facilities.7

Scrubbers/wet collectors: This type of control device either passes a gas stream through liquid (usually

water), or sprays the liquid onto the gas stream. The sprays may contain chemicals to help the water

absorb gases. Scrubbers can also remove particles. For particles, wet scrubbers can have removal

efficiencies of up to 99 percent, but for very small particles their efficiency can be much lower. In general,

they are better than cyclones (see below) at removing particles, but unless they are operated at high

power, they are not as effective as bag houses or electrostatic precipitators.

Scrubbers can handle high-temperature gases and don’t suffer from the fire and explosion hazards of

some dry collection systems. Absorption can be used to recover products, and scrubbers are useful for

gas streams with high concentrations of water-soluble compounds. However, they create dirty water

which must itself be cleaned, often using settling ponds and sludge handlers. The high-humidity air these

devices release can cause local meteorological problems and driving hazards.




http://www.iowadnr.gov/Environment/AirQuality/HowAirPollutionIsControlled.aspxhttp://events.awma.org/files_original/ControlDevicesFactSheet07.pdf


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Industrial fuel

combustion

Chemical &

allied product

manufacturing

Metals

processing

Petroleum &

related

industries

Solvent

utilization

Storage &

transportation

Waste disposal

& recycling

Other industrial

processes

Ammonia 13 19 2 1 0 5 67 56

VOCs 107 88 37 1,742 3,298 1,193 185 362

Sulfur dioxide 1,069 185 177 149 1 6 21 253

PM2.5 92 12 24 11 1 13 181 187

PM10 142 18 42 16 1 41 220 907

Nitrogen oxides 1,391 55 79 425 6 10 97 416

Carbon monoxide 894 183 840 262 7 18 1,378 426

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

4,000

US Emissions from Industrial Fuel Combustion and Processes, 2012,

by Industry/Process and Pollutant (thousand tons)

Note: PM10 and PM2.5 data does not include condensibles. Source: EPA National Emissions Inventory


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Scrubbers are common at asphalt and concrete batch plants, coal-burning power plants, and other

facilities that emit sulfur oxides, hydrogen sulfide, hydrogen chloride and ammonia.8,9

Adsorbers: These devices use sponge-like porous materials, such as activated carbon, silica gel and

alumina oxide, to soak up gases. Once the adsorbent material is saturated, it must be either refreshed or

disposed of. Companies often use activated carbon to control VOCs, solvents, toxic gases and gasoline

vapors, as well as odors. If the gases contain particulates, however, the adsorbents can become clogged.

Adsorbers are often used at soil remediation facilities, oil refineries, paint shops, steel mills and

wastewater treatment plants. Popular uses also include degreasing, rubber processing and printing

operations.10, 11

Cyclones: These devices spin dirty air in increasingly tighter circles, using centrifugal force to cause large

particles to move toward the outside wall, where they bounce off and fall to the bottom for collection.

Cyclones can remove either solid particles or liquid droplets. They can achieve efficiencies greater than

90 percent for particle sizes of 10 μm or greater. Groups of cyclones called multi-cyclones, meanwhile,

are better at removing fine particulate matter. Companies often use cyclones as a pre-treatment, before

more expensive equipment such as bag houses or electrostatic precipitators remove smaller particles.

Cyclones have a low capital and operating cost, and can withstand acids, high heat and pressure. But

they can get clogged or worn out from sticky, hard or sharp particles.12 Particles can also recirculate from







12Ibid.

http://events.awma.org/files_original/ControlDevicesFactSheet07.pdfhttp://www.iowadnr.gov/Environment/AirQuality/HowAirPollutionIsControlled.aspxhttp://events.awma.org/files_original/ControlDevicesFactSheet07.pdfhttp://www.iowadnr.gov/Environment/AirQuality/HowAirPollutionIsControlled.aspx


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the hopper, and heavy dust at the cyclone inlet can plug the hopper. Cyclones are widely used at cotton

gins, rock crushers, woodworking shops, cement plans, pharmaceutical makers, grain elevators, feed

mills and other industrial processes that produce gas streams with relatively large particulates.

Vapor condensers: These devices cool gaseous vapors, turning them into liquid. Companies often use

them as pre-cleaners to remove gas vapors before sending exhaust air to more expensive equipment

such as incinerators or absorbers. The liquefied gases can also be reused, helping to cut costs. For

example, dry cleaners often use condensers to return solvents to use.13

Electrostatic precipitators (ESPs): These devices use high voltage electrodes to negatively charge

airborne particles of between 0.1 and 10 microns, which then collect on a metal surface to form a dust

cake. A “rapper” strikes the plate periodically to drop the dust cake into a collection hopper. Companies

can also configure ESPs as a series of collecting plates to improve overall efficiencies. ESPs are capable

of efficiencies over 99 percent. They are generally better at collecting fine particles than scrubbers or

cyclones, and they can handle hot gases from 350 to 1,300 degrees Fahrenheit. This makes them ideal

for use at Portland cement plants, steel furnaces, and industrial boilers.14 ESPs are used in many of the

same sectors as bag houses, including power plants, paper mills, smelters and petroleum refineries.15

Flares: Industrial plants use combustion to dispose of intermittent or emergency releases of certain

emissions, such as hydrocarbons, chlorine, fluorine and particulate matter. Refineries and chemical plants

often use flaring as well, as do large commercial printing facilities. The process is designed to destroy

substances with a minimum amount of smoke.16

13Ibid.

14Ibid.




http://events.awma.org/files_original/ControlDevicesFactSheet07.pdfhttp://www.iowadnr.gov/Environment/AirQuality/HowAirPollutionIsControlled.aspx


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Thermal oxidizers: Incinerators that do not burn solids are called thermal oxidizers. They are used to

destroy odorous or toxic VOCs, and can achieve efficiencies of 99.99 percent. But reaching the needed

temperatures (up to 2000°F) requires a lot of fuel, so costs can be high. Regenerative thermal oxidizers

capture and reuse heat, achieving heat recoveries of up to 95 percent, which cuts fuel costs

considerably.17

Catalytic reactors/selective catalytic reduction (SCR): SCR systems are used frequently to control

NOx from the burning of fossil fuels. In these systems, ammonia and NOx react to form nitrogen and

water. SCR can remove more than 90 percent of NOx. Catalytic reactors can also be used for other gases

and VOCs.18 These devices have much lower energy and operating costs than incinerators. They are

commonly used at landfills, oil refineries, printing companies and paint shops.19 However, particulate

matter can coat the catalyst surface, and certain chemicals can deactivate the catalyst.20

Biofilters: These destroy VOCs, hydrogen sulfide, organic sulfides and odors through microbial oxidation.

The polluted air passes through a wet bed, which supports bacteria that absorb and metabolize the

pollutants. Biofilters can achieve efficiencies over 98 percent. They are commonly used at wastewater

treatment plants as well as in industrial processes.21









http://events.awma.org/files_original/ControlDevicesFactSheet07.pdfhttp://www.iowadnr.gov/Environment/AirQuality/HowAirPollutionIsControlled.aspxhttp://events.awma.org/files_original/ControlDevicesFactSheet07.pdfhttp://www.iowadnr.gov/Environment/AirQuality/HowAirPollutionIsControlled.aspxhttp://events.awma.org/files_original/ControlDevicesFactSheet07.pdf


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Vendors and Products

The EPA’s Air Pollution Control Technology Center has verified technologies in several pollution control

categories. These products and technologies are:

Baghouse filtration

Donaldson Company: Dura-Life #0701607 Filtration Media, Tetratex #6262 Filtration Media, Tetratex

#6277 Filtration Media, Tetratex #6282 Filtration Media

Sinoma Science & Technology Co.: FT-806 Filtration Media, FT-902 Filtration Media

TTG Inc.: TG100 Filtration Media, TG800 Filtration Media

W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc.: 5117 High Durability PPS Laminate Filtration Media

Nitrogen Oxide (NO x) Control Technologies for Stationary Sources

Catalytica Energy Systems, Inc.: Xonon Flameless Combustion System22

Other companies in the air pollution control market include the following (many of these are listed in the

buyers’ guide run by the Institute of Clean Air Companies):23

ADA Carbon Solutions (www.ada-cs.com): Provides activated carbon products for mercury capture from

flue gas streams.

22 http://www.epa.gov/etv/vt-apc.html

23 http://www.icac.com/search/newsearch.asp

http://www.ada-cs.com/http://www.epa.gov/etv/vt-apc.htmlhttp://www.icac.com/search/newsearch.asp


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Anguil Environmental Systems (http://www.anguil.com): Offers thermal and catalytic oxidizers to control

VOCs, hazardous air pollutants, process odors and nitrous oxides.

Cabot Norit Activated Carbon (www.norit.com): Offers mercury and odor control products.

Calgon Carbon Corporation (www.calgoncarbon.com): Offers activated carbon injection, continuous

emissions and opacity monitoring systems.

California Analytical Instruments (www.gasanalyzers.com): Offers gas analyzer products and systems.

Clyde Bergemann Power Group Americas - Air Pollution Control Product Division (www.us.cbpg.com):

Offers electrostatic precipitators, fabric filter systems, flue-gas desulfurization and dry scrubbing systems,

dry sorbent storage and injection and mercury control systems.

Cormetech (www.Cormetech.com): Offers SCR catalysts.

CRI/Criterion (www.cricatalyst.com; www.criterioncatalysts.com): CRI/Criterion is the catalyst technology

company of the Shell Group. It provides SCR technology for nitrogen oxides (NOx) and catalysts for the

oxidation of VOCs and carbon monoxide.

Durag (www.durag.com): Makes environmental measurement products addressing dust concentration

and opacity, mercury concentration and flue gas volume flow.

Durr Systems, Environ. & Energy Systems (www.durr-cleantechnology.com): Offers absorption,

adsorption, catalytic oxidation and thermal oxidation products.

http://www.anguil.com/http://www.norit.com/http://www.calgoncarbon-us.com/http://www.gasanalyzers.com/http://www.us.cbpg.com/http://www.cormetech.com/http://www.cricatalyst.com/http://www.criterioncatalysts.com/http://www.durag.com/http://www.durr-cleantechnology.com/


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Envirogen Technologies (www.envirogen.com): The company has launched a product using both

biological and adsorption technologies to address VOCs, hazardous air pollutants and odors. It says initial

applications for the product will be in refinery and chemical facilities.24

Environmental Systems Corporation (www.envirosys.com): Offers emissions monitoring software and

data controllers.

FMC Corporation (http://environmental.fmc.com/solutions/air-pollution-control): Offers technologies for

SOx and NOx abatement, particularly for fossil fired-generation plants.

Fuel Tech (www.ftek.com): Provides multi-pollutant emission control and advanced combustion

technologies, including customized NOx control systems and proprietary urea-to-ammonia conversion

technology, which can provide safe reagent for use in selective catalytic reduction systems.

Haldor Topsoe (www.topsoe.com): Offers pollution control, including SCR systems, for removal of

nitrogen oxides, sulfurous compounds, carbon monoxide and VOCs.

Herr Industrial (http://www.herrindustrial.com/APC_overview.html): Specializes in the control of VOCs

and particulates, focusing on the printing, flexographic, wood finishing, metal coating, painting and

OSB/MDF mill industries. Offers dust collectors, bag houses and wet and dry electrostatic precipitators.

Hitachi Power Systems America (www.hitachi.com): Offers SCR systems, NOx catalysts, dry scrubbers,

low-NOx burners, fabric filters and flue gas desulfurization.

Lechler (http://tinyurl.com/n3dtfba): Sells nozzles, lances and systems used in semi dry flue-gas

desulphurization, wet flue-gas desulphurization, SCR and SNCR.

MKS Instruments (www.mksinst.com): Offers air and gas analysis products.

24 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2013/05/20/envirogen-launches-emissions-control-technologies/

http://www.envirogen.com/http://www.envirosys.com/http://environmental.fmc.com/solutions/air-pollution-controlhttp://www.ftek.com/http://www.topsoe.com/http://www.herrindustrial.com/APC_overview.htmlhttp://www.hitachi.com/http://tinyurl.com/n3dtfbahttp://www.mksinst.com/http://www.environmentalleader.com/2013/05/20/envirogen-launches-emissions-control-technologies/


12

Novinda (www.novinda.com): Offers a reagent for mercury emissions control.

Tiger Optics LLC (www.tigeroptics.com): Manufactures trace gas analyzers and ambient air monitors.

URS Corporation (http://www.urscorp.com/Markets/index.php?s=10): Offers coal-fired power plants

technologies to reduce sulfur dioxide, sulfur trioxide, mercury and other particulates, including flue gas

desulfurization systems, through its Advatech joint venture with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI). URS

also provides sodium bisulphite injection technology that reduces sulfur trioxide emissions.

Benefits and Challenges

Benefits

Compliance: Much pollution control is driven by the need to comply with regulations and avoid penalties.

See Policies, below, for more information.

Slowing climate change: Carbon dioxide and nitrous oxides are greenhouse gases, which cause climate

change, and direct industrial emissions accounted for about 20 percent of total US greenhouse gases in

2011. If indirect emissions from industry’s electricity use are included, industry’s share goes up to 28

percent, making it the biggest contributor of greenhouse gases.25

A recent study concluded that black carbon – a common component of particulate matter – is the second

largest man-made contributor to global warming, with a per-square meter warming effect about two-thirds

that of carbon dioxide.26

25 http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/sources/industry.html

26 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2013/01/17/soot-is-second-largest-human-influence-on-climate-change/

http://www.novinda.com/http://www.tigeroptics.com/http://www.urscorp.com/Markets/index.php?s=10http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/sources/industry.htmlhttp://www.environmentalleader.com/2013/01/17/soot-is-second-largest-human-influence-on-climate-change/


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Improving health: Many of the emissions also directly affect health, especially that of children, the elderly

and those suffering from respiratory ailments. Particulates can decrease lung function even in healthy

people, and studies estimate that thousands of elderly people die prematurely each year from exposure to

fine particles.27 Exposure to ozone causes coughing, wheezing and throat irritation.28 The 188 substances

classed as hazardous air pollutants (see Policies, below) are known or suspected to cause serious health

effects including cancer, reproductive problems and birth defects.29

Visibility: Ozone is the main component in smog, and wind can transport ozone long distances.

Companies don’t emit ozone directly, but emit its components, nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic

compounds (VOCs).30

Plant and animal life: Many types of emissions have harmful effects on crops and other vegetation, on

ecosystems and on animals.

Cost savings: Process changes aimed at reducing emissions can also save companies money, by

reducing purchases of raw materials and fuels, for example.31

27 http://www.epa.gov/pm/fastfacts.html

28 http://www.epa.gov/apti/ozonehealth/population.html#acute

29 http://www.epa.gov/oaqps001/aqmportal/pollutant_types.htm

30 http://www.epa.gov/glo/basic.html



http://www.epa.gov/pm/fastfacts.htmlhttp://www.epa.gov/apti/ozonehealth/population.html#acutehttp://www.epa.gov/oaqps001/aqmportal/pollutant_types.htmhttp://www.epa.gov/glo/basic.htmlhttp://www.cedengineering.com/upload/Selection%20APC%20Strategy.pdf


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Challenges

Costs: It is difficult to generalize about the costs of industrial air pollution controls. For a start, costs vary

widely by type of equipment – for example, bag houses and electrostatic precipitators tend to be more

expensive than cyclones; incinerators and adsorbers are usually more expensive than vapor condensers.

Thermal oxidizers tend to be expensive because of their fuel use, but the addition of catalysts can reduce

these costs32, as can advanced systems with high heat recoveries. The operating costs of various thermal

and catalytic oxidizers varies from $0.30 to $28.37 an hour at a 1 percent lower explosive limit (a measure

of the flammability of gas).33 The EPA has estimated capital costs for wet electrostatic precipitators in the

range of $300,000 to $450,000, depending on saturated volume and efficiency, though the estimates date

from 1999.34

The EPA and industry often publish wildly different estimates of regulation’s costs to business. Power

companies have said they cannot bear the costs of new equipment to comply with the Cross-State Air

Pollution Rule, estimated at $800 million annually from 2014.35 Meanwhile a study by National Economic

Research Associates on behalf of the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity analyzed seven EPA

regulations that affect coal-fueled electricity generation, including Mercury and Air Toxics Standards,

regional haze, national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for ozone, SO2 NAAQS, PL 2.5 NAAQS,

316(b) and coal combustion residuals, and found that compliance costs for the electric sector could total

between $198 billion and $220 billion from 2013 to 2034.36



33 Gene Anguil of Anguil Environmental Systems, Emission Control Technology. Updated chapter, originally from Odor and VOC Control

Handbook, Harold J. Rafson, Ed. http://www.anguil.com/resources/overview-of-emission-control-technologies.aspx

34 http://www.epa.gov/ttn/catc/dir1/cs6ch3.pdf

35 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2013/06/25/supreme-court-to-judge-smog-rule/

36 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/10/30/epa-rules-would-cost-1-5-million-jobs-industry-group-says/

http://www.cedengineering.com/upload/Selection%20APC%20Strategy.pdfhttp://www.anguil.com/resources/overview-of-emission-control-technologies.aspxhttp://www.epa.gov/ttn/catc/dir1/cs6ch3.pdfhttp://www.environmentalleader.com/2013/06/25/supreme-court-to-judge-smog-rule/http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/10/30/epa-rules-would-cost-1-5-million-jobs-industry-group-says/


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Regulations: Much of air pollution control is driven by regulations, and the EPA is constantly reviewing

and revising rules relating to air emissions. Companies must make sure that they stay up-to-date with

actual and potential changes to avoid committing violations.

Disposal: Many types of emission control require careful cleaning and disposal to ensure that the

pollutants don’t inadvertently enter the air or water.

Policies and Regulations

Industrial air pollutants are subject to a number of regulations in the US, as well as in other countries, and

regulation is a key driver of pollution control adoption. Here we will focus on the major US regulations.

This list is not exhaustive but touches on the major focus points of US regulations.

The EPA divides regulated pollutants into two categories: criteria pollutants and hazardous air pollutants.

Criteria pollutants - NAAQSs

The Clean Air Act, last amended in 1990, requires the EPA to set National Ambient Air Quality Standards

for pollutants considered harmful to the environment and public health. These fall into two categories:

primary standards are designed to provide public health protection, while secondary standards are

designed to provide public welfare protection, which includes protections for visibility, animals, crops,

other vegetation and buildings.

The EPA has set NAAQSs for six principal pollutants, called “criteria” pollutants. The standards are as

follows:

(Units of measure are either parts per million (ppm) by volume, parts per billion (ppb) by volume, or

micrograms per cubic meter of air (µg/m3).)


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1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

PM2.5 -2.5 -6.0 -9.1 -12. -4.9 -14. -11. -20. -27. -26.

Ozone -5.8 -7.3 0.9 -6.8 -7.8 -9.6 -5.3 3.9 -11. -11. -10. -16. -14. -14. -10. -15. -16. -11. -12. -18. -17. -12. -18. -25. -20. -21. -21. -25. -30. -27.

PM10 -2.6 -12. -14. -16. -17. -23. -22. -25. -18. -22. -23. -23. -22. -33. -28. -29. -26. -31. -38. -38.

Nitrogen dioxide -1.6 -5.3 -7.9 -5.4 -5.9 -5.5 -7.2 -5.0 -7.8 -12. -12. -16. -18. -14. -17. -19. -23. -23. -21. -26. -26. -29. -32. -37. -38. -41. -43. -46. -50. -52.

Sulfur dioxide -4.4 -14. -18. -16. -20. -23. -25. -22. -25. -29. -30. -35. -35. -37. -49. -50. -51. -52. -55. -56. -59. -62. -63. -64. -63. -67. -69. -73. -78. -79.

Carbon monoxide -0.9 -6.3 -5.1 -10. -15. -13. -22. -23. -22. -29. -32. -37. -40. -39. -45. -48. -52. -55. -54. -60. -62. -67. -69. -71. -73. -75. -77. -80. -81. -82.

Lead 7.0 -1.3 -2.8 -13. -14. -43. -43. -28. -57. -60. -65. -72. -75. -67. -73. -70. -78. -80. -79. -79. -64. -83. -86. -79. -85. -87. -84. -81. -83. -89.

-110

-90

-70

-50

-30

-10

10

US Air Quality, Changes from Baseline

1981-2010 (%)

PM2.5 Ozone PM10 Nitrogen dioxide Sulfur dioxide Carbon monoxide Lead

Source: Calculations by EL PRO, from EPA data (http://www.epa.gov/airtrends/)

Note: 1980 baseline used for most pollutants. Exceptions are PM10 (1990 baseline) and PM2.5 (2000 baseline), due to lack of data for earlier years. Changes calculated using mean measurements for each pollutant, based on 81 to 646 sites per pollutant. The EPA gives SO2 and NO2 measurements in ppb; CO and O3 in ppm; lead and PM in micrograms per cubic meter.


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Carbon monoxide: Primary standards only: 9 ppm measured over 8 hours, and 35 ppm measured over 1

hour. These standards may not be exceeded more than once per year.37 In August 2011 the EPA issued

a decision to retain these standards, although it made some changes to monitoring requirements.38, 39

Lead: For primary and secondary standards: rolling 3-month average, 0.15 μg/m3. These standards may

not be exceeded.40 EPA issued findings that seven states missed Clean Air Act deadlines for submitting

plans, or elements of plans, for implementing EPA's 2008 national air quality standards for lead.41

In June 2013, the EPA issued a final rule establishing a new Federal Reference Method for state and

local air monitoring agencies to use as one of the approved methods for measuring lead in total

suspended particulate matter.42

Nitrogen dioxide: Primary standard: 1-hour, 100 ppb; 98th percentile, averaged over 3 years. Primary

and secondary: annual, 53 ppb; actual mean.43

37 http://www.epa.gov/air/criteria.html

38 http://www.epa.gov/airquality/carbonmonoxide/actions.html

39 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2011/08/16/epa-resists-calls-to-strengthen-co-standard/


41 http://www.epa.gov/airquality/lead/kitrules.html

42 http://www.epa.gov/oaqps001/lead/actions.html


http://www.epa.gov/air/criteria.htmlhttp://www.epa.gov/airquality/carbonmonoxide/actions.htmlhttp://www.environmentalleader.com/2011/08/16/epa-resists-calls-to-strengthen-co-standard/http://www.epa.gov/air/criteria.htmlhttp://www.epa.gov/airquality/lead/kitrules.htmlhttp://www.epa.gov/oaqps001/lead/actions.htmlhttp://www.epa.gov/air/criteria.html


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Sulfur dioxide: Primary: 1-hour, 75 ppb; 99th percentile of 1-hour daily maximum concentrations,

averaged over 3 years. Secondary: 3-hour, 0.5 ppm; not to be exceeded more than once per year.44

Ozone: Primary and secondary standard: 8-hour, 0.075 ppm.45 The Obama administration proposed in

January 2010 to tighten the 8-hour primary standard to a level in the range of 0.06-0.07 ppm, and to

establish a seasonal secondary standard in the range of 7-15 ppm-hours.46 But businesses and

Republicans in Congress objected over economic concerns, and in September 2011 the White

House shelved the plans.47 On July 23, 2013, a federal court rejected arguments that the current primary

standard is either too weak or too strong, but said the EPA would have to reconsider the secondary

standard for the pollutant48 – a review that was already underway.

On May 29, 2013, the EPA published a draft rule to address implementation requirements for the ozone

standard, proposing several approaches. The EPA says the proposed rule would provide states with

flexibility and help in meeting their Clean Air Act requirements.49

Particle pollution, PM2.5: For primary standards: annual, 12 μg/m3, annual mean, averaged over 3 years.

For secondary standards: annual, 15 μg/m3, annual mean, averaged over 3 years. For primary and

secondary standards: 24-hour, 35 μg/m3, 98th percentile, averaged over 3 years.50

44 Ibid.

45 Ibid.

46 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2010/01/07/epa-puts-science-behind-new-smog-standards/

47 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2011/09/02/obama-axes-ozone-rule-revamp/

48 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2013/07/24/has-ozone-found-its-goldilocks-zone/

49http://www.epa.gov/airquality/ozonepollution/pdfs/Implementation%20Fact%20Sheet%20draft%205-29-13.pdf

http://www.epa.gov/air/criteria.htmlhttp://www.epa.gov/air/criteria.htmlhttp://www.environmentalleader.com/2010/01/07/epa-puts-science-behind-new-smog-standards/http://www.environmentalleader.com/2011/09/02/obama-axes-ozone-rule-revamp/http://www.environmentalleader.com/2013/07/24/has-ozone-found-its-goldilocks-zone/http://www.epa.gov/airquality/ozonepollution/pdfs/Implementation%20Fact%20Sheet%20draft%205-29-13.pdf


19

In December 2012, the EPA strengthened the NAAQS for PM2.5 to 12 µg/m3, down from 15 µg/m3 set in

1997.51 On January 4, 2013, the DC Circuit Court issued a decision finding fault with how the EPA issued

rules for PM2.5, but the EPA says this decision does not affect its strengthening of the standard.52

Particle pollution, PM10: The standard for primary and secondary, in place since 1997, is 150 μg/m3 over

24 hours, not to be exceeded more than once per year on average over 3 years.53 In its December 2012

rulemaking, the EPA retained the existing standards for PM10.54

Other rules on criteria pollutants

Cross State Air-Pollution Rule: The EPA finalized this rule, on pollutants that cross state lines, in July

2011.55 But an appeals court declared the rule invalid in August 2012,56 following a challenge by 16 states

and a number of power companies, and the administration is now waiting for the Supreme Court to hear

the case.57


51 http://www.epa.gov/airquality/particlepollution/2012/decfsoverview.pdf

52 http://www.epa.gov/airquality/particlepollution/2013/20130104dcdecision.pdf


54 http://www.epa.gov/airquality/particlepollution/2012/decfsoverview.pdf

55 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2011/07/07/epa-unveils-clean-air-transport-rule/

56 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/08/22/court-overturns-cross-state-air-pollution-rule/

57 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2013/06/25/supreme-court-to-judge-smog-rule/

http://www.epa.gov/air/criteria.htmlhttp://www.epa.gov/airquality/particlepollution/2012/decfsoverview.pdfhttp://www.epa.gov/airquality/particlepollution/2013/20130104dcdecision.pdfhttp://www.epa.gov/air/criteria.htmlhttp://www.epa.gov/airquality/particlepollution/2012/decfsoverview.pdfhttp://www.environmentalleader.com/2011/07/07/epa-unveils-clean-air-transport-rule/http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/08/22/court-overturns-cross-state-air-pollution-rule/http://www.environmentalleader.com/2013/06/25/supreme-court-to-judge-smog-rule/


20

The rule sets limits on sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions from coal-fired plants in 28 states.

When introducing the rule, the EPA estimated that the regulations would prevent up to 34,000 premature

deaths. But power companies said they could not meet the EPA’s timeframe, or bear new equipment

costs estimated at $800 million annually from 2014.

Hazardous air pollutants

The EPA is working to reduce releases of 188 pollutants classed as HAPs. These pollutants are known or

suspected to cause cancer, other serious health effects (such as reproductive problems or birth defects)

or negative environmental effects.

Examples include dioxins, asbestos, toluene, cadmium, mercury, chromium, lead compounds, benzene,

perchlorethlyene and methylene chloride.58 EPA regulations cover over 80 categories of major industrial

sources, such as chemical plants, oil refineries, aerospace manufacturers, and steel mills, as well as

categories of smaller sources, such as dry cleaners, commercial sterilizers, secondary lead smelters, and

chromium electroplating facilities. It projects that these standards will cut annual air toxics emissions by

about 1.5 million tons.59

The EPA has established national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants (NESHAPS) requiring

the use of maximum achievable control technology (MACT) for a number of industries. 60

Mercury and Air Toxics Standards: Finalized in April 2013, these are the first federal standards

requiring power plants to limit their emissions of toxic air pollutants like mercury, arsenic and metals.61

58 http://www.epa.gov/oaqps001/aqmportal/pollutant_types.htm

59 http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/allabout.html

60 http://www.cleanairworld.org/TopicDetails.asp?parent=7

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21

The rules apply to coal- and oil-fired plants. The rule sets mercury emissions at 0.003 pound/GWh. For

new coal-fired plants, the agency sets the standard for filterable particulate matter emissions at 0.09

pound/MWh, hydrogen chloride at 0.01 pound/MWh, sulfur dioxide at 1.0 pound/MWh and lead at 0.02

pound/GWh.62

Toxics Release Inventory: This EPA program tracks the management of over 650 toxic chemicals, most

of which cause cancer or other chronic human health effects; significant acute human health effects; or

significant environmental effects. Facilities that manufacture, process or otherwise use these chemicals in

amounts above established levels must submit annual TRI reports indicating how much of each chemical

is released and how much is managed through recycling, energy recovery and treatment.63 Companies

must report if: they are in a specific industry sector, such as manufacturing, mining or electric power

generation; have 10 or more full-time employees; and either a) manufacture or process more than 25,000

lbs. of a TRI-listed chemical per year or b) use more than 10,000 lb. of a listed chemical in a year.64

Cross-cutting regulations

The EPA has also issued rules that govern both criteria and hazardous air pollutants, within certain

sectors. These include:

Portland Cement MACT standards: In December 2012, the EPA issued final amendments to the 2010

clean air standards for the cement manufacturing industry, including emissions of mercury, hydrochloric

61 http://www.epa.gov/mats/basic.html

62 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2013/04/01/epa-finalizes-pollution-standards-for-new-power-plants/

63 http://www2.epa.gov/toxics-release-inventory-tri-program/learn-about-toxics-release-inventory

64 http://www2.epa.gov/toxics-release-inventory-tri-program/basics-tri-reporting

http://www.epa.gov/mats/basic.htmlhttp://www.environmentalleader.com/2013/04/01/epa-finalizes-pollution-standards-for-new-power-plants/http://www2.epa.gov/toxics-release-inventory-tri-program/learn-about-toxics-release-inventoryhttp://www2.epa.gov/toxics-release-inventory-tri-program/basics-tri-reporting


22

acid and particulate matter. The final air toxics rule retains emission limits for mercury, acid gases and

total hydrocarbons from the 2010 rules, along with retaining requirements that kilns continuously monitor

compliance with limits for mercury, total hydrocarbons and particulate matter.65

Boiler standards: In December 2012, the EPA released its final Clean Air Act standards for industrial

boilers and incinerators, aimed at reducing toxic air pollution including mercury, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen

chloride and particulates, but said these will apply to less than 1 percent of those machines. The

standards now cover only the highest emitting boilers and incinerators, typically operating at refineries,

chemical plants and other industrial facilities. The other 99 percent of the approximately 1.5 million boilers

in the US either aren’t covered by the rules because they burn clean natural gas at area source facilities

and emit little pollution, or can meet the new standards by conducting periodic maintenance or regular

tune-ups, according to the EPA.

Standards and Certifications

The air pollution control market is driven mostly by regulations, not by voluntary standards. However, it’s

worth noting that several of the pollutants discussed in this report are greenhouse gases, and subject to

GHG reporting guidelines. For example, the Greenhouse Gas Protocol covers accounting and reporting of

carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydroflurorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride.66

The protocol now requires nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) to be included in GHG inventories under the

Corporate Standard, Value Chain (Scope 3) Standard and the Product Standard. NF3 is primarily

65 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/12/26/boiler-standards-will-apply-to-less-than-1/

66 http://www.ghgprotocol.org/standards/corporate-standard

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23

1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010*

VOCs 14,311 12,080 12,862 10,475 9,994 10,779 7,626 7,364 6,905

Carbon monoxide 16,899 10,771 9,250 7,216 5,853 5,791 4,479 3,583 3,114

PM10 8,668 4,074 3,027 1,339 1,306 1,232 874 1,259 1,245

Nitrogen oxides 1,215 698 666 891 891 873 943 1,121 1,088

Sulfur dioxide 7,101 4,729 3,807 2,467 1,901 1,638 1,418 1,016 792

PM2.5 795 748 638 570 430

Ammonia 352 365 176 230 151

US Emissions from Industrial Processes by Pollutant,

1970-2010 (thousand tons)

*The EPA has not yet published measured values for 2010. Because emissions from industrial sectors tend to stay fairly constant, it has repeated its measured 2008 values for 2010. This value will be updated in EPA's next inventory. Note: PM10 and PM2.5 data does not include condensibles. Source: EPA National Emissions Inventory


24

produced in the manufacture of semiconductors and LCD panels, and certain types of solar panels and

chemical lasers.67

Latest Developments in Air Pollution Controls

US and Global Markets

Air quality management in the US has improved considerably over the past several decades. Since 1970,

industrial processes have found reductions in emissions of a number of pollutants, including carbon

monoxide and sulfur dioxide (see chart, previous page). VOC emissions have seen a few spikes but fallen

significantly since 1970. PM10 has also seen a long-term reduction although it is up on 2000 levels.

Nitrogen oxides, on the other hand, after an initial drop back in the early 1970s, have almost returned to

1970 levels.

The EPA’s data on ammonia and PM2.5 doesn’t go back as far, but since 1990 industry has found

significant reductions in these areas.

Looking specifically at the electricity sector, in 2011 power plant NOx and SO2 emissions were 70 percent

and 72 percent lower than in 1990, when Congress passed major amendments to the Clean Air Act. But

the emissions reductions are largely due to increased use of natural gas and growing reliance

on renewable energy – rather than to emissions controls.

To find these reductions and cope with regulatory pressures, companies are spending heavily on

emissions control equipment. The McIlvaine Company projects that the world market for air filtration and

air pollution control will reach $44.39 billion this year, with the power sector spending the lion’s share at

67 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2013/05/28/why-reporting-nitrogen-trifluoride-matters/

http://www.environmentalleader.com/2013/05/28/why-reporting-nitrogen-trifluoride-matters/


25

over $20 billion (see chart, next page).68 China will be a major player, spending just under $19 billion on

air pollution control systems, consumables and instrumentation this year.69

As of November 2012, power plants around the world had 968 air pollution control projects underway and

due to be completed in 2013. Over half are in Asia.70 The most popular control devices for new power

plants are scrubbers, selective catalytic reduction systems and fabric filters, while older plants are being

retrofitted with a variety of SO2, NOx, and mercury reduction controls.

Several other industries, including stone, metals, incinerators, steel, chemicals and wastewater, as well as

the commercial sector, will spend over $1 billion each on air pollution control this year. McIlvaine notes

that cement plants need expensive particulate control equipment, scrubbers and non-selective catalytic

reduction equipment. Municipal wastewater plants, meanwhile, are buying activated carbon filters,

biofilters and chemical scrubbers.71

In 2013, McIlvaine expects the air and gas measurement market to reach $4.5 billion. This includes not

just measurement of emissions into surrounding air, but also indoor air, process air and so on.72

68 http://home.mcilvainecompany.com/index.php/component/content/article/7-news/387-nr1709





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26

Adoption by Businesses

Owens Corning: See Q&A.

Alcoa: The company says its In-Duct Scrubber, under construction as part of a commercial-scale

demonstration project at the company’s baked anode and calcined coke facility in Lake Charles, La., will

$3,067

$2,617

$1,853 $1,772

$1,577 $1,331

$1,286

$961 $907 $813 $710 $690 $629 $522 $344 $342 $323 $290 $216 $114 $86

$3,905

$-

$500

$1,000

$1,500

$2,000

$2,500

$3,000

$3,500

$4,000

$4,500

$5,000

World Industrial Air Pollution Control Market, by Industry

Projections for 2013 ($ millions)

Source: The McIlvaine Company, "Air Pollution Management"

$20,035


27

remove up to 90 percent of sulfur dioxide, particulate matter and hydrogen fluoride emissions at the plant.

Alcoa expects commissioning and on-site testing of the project to be complete in August 2014.73

Doe Run: In preparation for EPA sulfur dioxide standards, the company’s Buick Resource Recycling

Division began installing technology in 2011 that decreases SO2 emissions. Meanwhile, the company’s

Primary Smelting Division has cut lead concentrations in ambient air around its Herculaneum, Mo.,

smelter. As of November 2011, the smelter reduced the rolling three-month average for ambient air lead

concentration to below 0.6 micrograms per cubic meter of air - a 25 percent reduction from the 2011

average level.74

AEP: The power company reduced its total SO2 emissions by 52 percent between 2000 and 2011, from

1.1 million tons to just over half a million tons, primarily by adding scrubbers to approximately 7,900 MW

of coal-fired generating capacity, according to a report by M.J. Bradley & Associates, sponsored by

Ceres, NRDC, Entergy Corporation, Exelon, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, PSEG, Tenaska and

Bank of America.75

Duke Energy: The company is spending $400 million to install two selective catalytic reduction units as

well as dry sorbent injection systems at its coal-fired Cayuga power plant, on top of the roughly $500

million it spent on two scrubbers for the plant in 2008. The company is carrying out the SCR project to

comply with the Mercury and Air Toxics Standard. Since 1990, Duke’s sulfur dioxide emissions have

fallen more than 84 percent and nitrogen oxide more than 73 percent, through control equipment, use of

low-sulfur fuel, and changes to the company’s fuel mix.76

73 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2013/06/03/alcoas-scrubber-technology-reduces-emissions-water-energy/

74 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2013/03/01/doe-run-sustainability-report-environmental-capital-spending-jumps-45/

75 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2013/05/17/power-plants-cut-co2-emissions-7-in-three-years/

76 http://www.pennenergy.com/articles/pennenergy/2013/07/duke-invests-400mm-in-pollution-control-at-cayuga-coal-power-plant.html

http://www.environmentalleader.com/2013/06/03/alcoas-scrubber-technology-reduces-emissions-water-energy/http://www.environmentalleader.com/2013/03/01/doe-run-sustainability-report-environmental-capital-spending-jumps-45/http://www.environmentalleader.com/2013/05/17/power-plants-cut-co2-emissions-7-in-three-years/http://www.pennenergy.com/articles/pennenergy/2013/07/duke-invests-400mm-in-pollution-control-at-cayuga-coal-power-plant.html


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The Future of Air Pollution Controls

Projections

Next year, The McIlvaine Company predicts a $48.9 billion world market for air pollution control, with the

biggest portion - $11.7 billion – going into fabric filter bags and systems (see chart, above). Power plants

41%

34%

11%

14%

$6,800

$7,600

$4,600

$7,500

$8,700

$2,000

$-

$2,000

$4,000

$6,000

$8,000

$10,000

$12,000

$14,000

Fabric filter Industrial scrubbers and

adsorbers

Electrostatic precipitators

Air monitoring Power plant flue gas

desulfurization

NOx control Stationary thermal and

catalytic treatment

World Air Pollution Control Revenues by Technology,

2014 ($ millions) and Breakdown of Fabric Filter Market (%)

Bags - media

Bags - other

Systems - equipment

Systems - other

$11,700

Fabric Filter Market Breakdown

Source: The McIlvaine Company, "Air Pollution Management" and "World Fabric Filter and Element Market"


29

will account for more than 50 percent of the total air pollution market, and the chemical, refinery, oil and

gas, steel, mining and cement industries will also make pollution control purchases.

By 2020, McIlvaine expects China to have four times the coal-fired capacity of the US, driving huge

growth in the selective catalytic converter market there. The country is also upgrading existing power

plants to met NOx and particulate limits. While the US industry spends millions of dollars on lawsuits to

contest controls for about 50,000 MW, McIlvaine notes, “China is stepping up to the plate and committing

to 1,100,000 MW of SCR over the same timeframe.”77

India will be a strong pollution control market, as it is also building a sizeable number of new coal-fired

power plants and is addressing pollution from steel mills, cement plants and refineries. Vietnam and

Indonesia will also be major buyers in the market.78

Air Pollution Controls: What does all this mean?

Air emissions control is an essential component of sustainability and compliance for companies in many

sectors.

Control technology is evolving as governments push for tighter and tighter emissions limits.

Companies must stay on top of evolving regulations to predict future emissions control needs, which

could be expensive.



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Q&A

Frank O'Brien-Bernini, VP, Chief Sustainability Officer, Owens Corning (1-800-438-7465)

What air pollution control devices do you use - bag houses, scrubbers, carbon adsorbers,

adsorption towers, cyclones, vapor condensers, electrostatic precipitators (dry or wet), flares,

afterburners, catalytic oxidizers, biofilters?

We use a full array of state-of-the-art control devices (including bag houses, scrubbers, cyclones,

electrostatic precipitators (dry and wet), regenerative thermal oxidizers, incinerators, bio-treatments).

Where possible, we maximize energy use by using heat recovery for other process needs.

What make/model of these devices do you use?

This would be a long list and likely considered proprietary by our operations folks…although much of this

detail is available in our environmental permits.

What process controls do you use to control your air emissions?

Our preferred approach to environmental emissions reductions is through source reduction rather than

added control devices. This is a much more resource efficient approach. For example, much of our recent

reductions in particulate and toxic air emissions came through the 2011 conversion of our residential

insulation products to EcoTouch Insulation with PureFiber Technology, a product that is certified to

include a minimum of 58% total recycled content, Greenguard verified to be formaldehyde-free and

contains more than 99% natural ingredients (% natural defined by weight of natural materials consisting of

minerals and plant-based compounds). The product that this innovation replaced had lower recycled

content and used a phenol-formaldehyde type technology. The conversion was designed, and succeeded,

in producing a superior product with a lower environmental footprint.

What emissions do these devices and controls capture/prevent?

HAPS, particulate, NOx, VOCs.


31

Which devices or controls do you think have made the biggest contributions to reducing your air

emissions?

Product and/or process design changes to eliminate emissions at the source.

What have the benefits of these projects been? (Please quantify if possible, for example % or

tons-per-year reduction, with baseline year and end year specified)

We recently published our 7th sustainability report where we posted our environmental footprint intensity

reductions, from a baseline in 2002 through 2012 (10 year progress) as:

Goal Actual reduction

Energy -25% -30%

Greenhouse gas -30% -34%

Nitrogen oxides -25% -74%

Volatile organic compounds -25% -33%

Particulates -20% -36%

Waste to landfill -35% -35%

Water -15% -38%

What challenges have you encountered as you sought ways to lower your emissions?

It’s hard work and often requires product/process modifications to be affordable.

Have some of your pollution control devices raised energy consumption?

Yes, however (as noted above) where possible, we maximize energy use by using heat recovery for other

process needs.


32

How do you dispose of the waste that these devices collect? Was it challenging to find disposal

solutions?

Our preferred approach is to reintroduce the captured materials back into our process. This is often

possible.

What are the capital and operating costs of these devices? Have you received any subsidies or

financial incentives - if so, which?

I am not aware of any incentives we’ve received specifically for control devices.

Documents

In this report - Energy Leader · 7/30/2013 · Scrubbers are common at asphalt and concrete batch plants, coal-burning power plants, and other facilities that emit sulfur oxides,