NEWS RELEASE
May 16, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT: Dan A. Nelson, ORCAA Public Information Officer, Ext. 111
UPDATE: Ocean Protein Tests Delayed
Note that there is a date-change for the tests described in the press release (below) sent out earlier this week. The testing firm of Amtest Air Quality will conduct tests on the Ocean Protein odor control devices on Monday May 22 and Tuesday, May 23, between the hours of 5 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
Ocean Protein to Test New Odor Control Devices
HOQUIAM - In order to fulfill one of the key terms of their new permit Ocean Protein, LLC, plans to rigorously test the new odor control equipment at their fish processing facility this week.
Olympic Region Clean Air Agency issued Ocean Protein a permit to construct and operate the new odor control equipment, but one of the terms of the permit requires that the new equipment pass stringent tests before the facility can begin production. To ensure the tests are conducted impartially, an independent testing company, Amtest Air Quality, will perform the trials.
Amtest specializes in measuring air pollution emissions from a variety of industrial sources. Amtest will use strict testing methods to evaluate the control efficiency of the new odor control system in order to show that the system will work as designed. Ocean Protein plans to have Amtest conduct the testing later this week. On Thursday and Friday, the new odor-control scrubbers will be activated and controlled amounts of odiferous chemicals will be released into the devices.
The test will measure the amount of the sample that is emitted at the end of the cleansing process to check how much is removed by the scrubbers. At a minimum, each device needs to achieve the average removal efficiency specified in the permit.
The tests will run from 5 a.m. to approximate 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 18 and Friday, May 19. Monday May 22 and Tuesday May 23. ORCAA held a well-attended public hearing on the new permit application in Hoquiam in late April, and accepted written public comment for 30 days leading up to that hearing. All public comments were thoroughly researched and addressed prior to making the final determination to grant the permit.
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The Olympic Region Clean Air Agency protects and enhances air quality for citizens in Thurston, Mason, Clallam, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, and Pacific counties by enforcing federal, state and local air quality regulations. If you have questions specific to the topic above, or just general questions about local air quality, contact ORCAA at (360) 586-1044 or 1-800-422-5623, or visit ORCAA's website, www.orcaa.org.