ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
    June 21,
    1913
    )
    ~
    INC.
    )
    )
    v.
    )
    PCB 73-105
    )
    )
    ENVIRONMENTAL
    PROTECTION
    AGENCY
    )
    )
    )
    OPINION
    AND
    ORDER
    OP THE BOARD (by Mr. DumeiTh)
    This is a petition for variance from Rules 205(f), 103(b)
    (6)(E), and 104(c)(i) of the Air Regulations.
    Hearing was held on
    May
    17,
    1973.
    Petitioner’s plant is located in Montgomery, Illinois.
    Peti-
    tioner’s plant manufactures toilet soap from tallow, coconut oil,
    and sodium hydroxide.
    Tallow and coconut oil are pumped into the
    bottom of two eight-foot fat splitting towers and water is pumped
    in the top.
    L.a the fats rise, fatty acids are released and washed
    free.
    The crude fatty acids then flow to a dehydrator and into
    holding tanks prior to entering the distillation tower.
    In the
    distillation tower, the acids are boiled causing a vapor to be given
    off.
    These vapors contact cooling water in the barometric condensers
    and the resulting liquid flows to the skimming basin and then to the
    “oily” cooling tower, which is the subject of this Petition.
    Petitioner states that approximately 18 pounds per hour of organic
    materials are discharged from the cooling tower which is in excess
    of the allowable emissions of
    8 pounds/hr in Rule 205(f) of the
    Pollution Control Board Rules.
    Petitioner has been working on this odor problem since 1966.
    During
    that
    time
    period
    they
    have
    done
    odor
    surveys, installed an
    aeration
    system, put in new stainless steel sweet water storage
    tanks, experimented with neutralizing chemicals,’ converted coal
    boilers to gas, relocated cenain pieces of process equipment, per-
    formed feasibility studies, installed a screen system, and installed
    a
    skimming
    tank.
    In
    February,
    1973,
    their
    consulting
    engineer
    began
    the
    final
    design
    work
    on
    the
    project.
    The design is expected to
    be completed by August, 1913.
    To date, Armour has spent $1.6 million on pollution control and
    expects to spend another $1.5 million to complete the project.
    They
    C—343
    -2-
    will be replacing the present barometric type condensers with sur-
    face condensers thus eliminating any direct contact between the
    vapor stream and the cooling water.
    At this point, without
    the benefit of the final engineering plans
    and schedules, we are uncertain as
    to exactly what will be involved
    in the project and what the interim and final dates will be.
    We
    will, however, grant
    a short term variance until September 30,
    1973
    so
    that the final design plans and schedules may be completed and sub-
    mitted to the Agency.
    At that point
    the petitioner will have to re-
    petition the Board with
    a specific and definite schedule listing all
    interim and final
    dates.
    The Agency will then have 21 days within
    which to submit its recommendation and comments
    to us.
    There will
    probably be no need for any hearing at that point.
    This opinion constitutes the Board’s findings of fact and
    conclusions of law.
    ORDER
    Variance
    is granted from Rules
    205(f);
    103(b) (6) (B) and
    104
    (c)(l) until September
    30,
    1973.
    I, Christan L. Moffett, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control
    Boar~hereby certify the above Opinion and Order were adopted on the
    ©?,~‘
    day of June, 1973 by
    a vote of ____________________________
    ristan
    L.
    o
    ett,
    r
    Illinois Pollution C
    rol Board
    8—
    344

    Back to top