International Paper Company's
Trial Burn of Tire-Derived-Fuel

Page Last Updated 3/24/08

WHAT’S NEW:

03/24/2008 - The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources issues final report “Air Quality Data and Observations Made in Vermont during the November 2006 Trial Burn of Tire Derived Fuel at the International Paper Company, Ticonderoga, New York”. [PDF file, 5 MB]  This report is a compilation of data, information and observations made by the Agency immediately before and during the trail burn.  The final report summarizes and analyzes the data that was collected from the Agency ambient monitoring stations that operated during the trial burn.  Even though the trial burn ended earlier than expected and without conducting the detailed stack testing that was scheduled to be completed the second week, significant ambient monitoring data from the Vermont sites were available to evaluate the potential impacts of the shortened trial. A detailed review of this ambient data indicated that there were slight increases in zinc and other metals detected during the trial but all impacts were still well within state and federal health standards. These increases appear to have been caused in part by a regional transport event that raised impacts at monitors all over New England during this time and which make it difficult to discern IP’s contribution. Had the trial burn continued for the full expected duration or had IP burned TDF at the expected higher rates of two and three tons per hour it may have been possible to more accurately detect the impacts of the trial burn. The testing completed during the trial burn did however confirm Vermont’s initial concerns that IP’s existing air pollution controls were not adequate and that advanced emissions controls would be necessary to burn TDF in an environmentally sound manner at this facility.

02/16/2007 - The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources issues initial report “Air Quality Data and Observations Made in Vermont during the November 2006 Trial Burn of Tire Derived Fuel at the International Paper Company, Ticonderoga, New York”.  This report is a compilation of data, information and observations made by the Agency immediately before and during the trail burn. This report does not attempt any analyses of these data, or draw any conclusions at this time. As information regarding chemical composition of air samples collected, summary of metrological data, and other related information take time to become available, the Agency, through this report, is making generally available that information which it now possess. As more information becomes available, the Agency will release that information. It is estimated that it could take twelve to eighteen months for the samples submitted for laboratory analyses to be available, and an equivalent amount time for the Agency to summarize the metrological data and perform atmospheric modeling of exhaust plume behavior. It is the intent of the Agency to publish in a subsequent report the results of these analyses.

1/16/2007 - Summary of IP Trial Burn Stack Emission Test Report

11/14/2006 - International Paper Company announces the trial burn has ceased.

11/7/2006 - 11/13/2006 -  International Paper Company first adds TDF to the boiler at the rate of 1.0 tons per hour at approximately 8:15 am on November 7, 2006.   All TDF burning ceased at approximately 10:00 pm on November 13, 2006.

11/6/2006 -  International Paper Company commences the trial burn with baseline particulate matter testing of the boiler without TDF.  No TDF burned this day.

AMBIENT MONITORING IN SHOREHAM:
In response to International Paper Company’s proposal to conduct a trial burn of tire-derived-fuel, t he Vermont Agency of Natural Resources began operating two ambient air monitoring stations in Shoreham, Vermont in late 2003 in order to more accurately establish existing ambient air quality background levels for the area.  Such background levels would then serve as a reference point for comparison to monitored values obtained during the trial.  Ambient monitoring prior to the trial burn focused mainly on collection of PM10 and PM2.5 samples.  These samples are also able to be analyzed for specific particulate compounds. Meteorological data was also collected at the Shoreham North site.  Ambient monitoring was enhanced immediately before, during and after the trial collecting additional samples and monitoring for additional pollutants.  The Shoreham North and Shoreham South monitoring  sites were selected based on projected modeled impacts from the main IP mill boiler stack, which does not necessarily coincide with odor emissions associated with the IP wastewater plant located approximately two miles north of the main mill.   Most monitoring at the Shoreham sites ceased on November 26, 2006 with all monitoring completed by December 7, 2006.

HISTORY OF TDF TRIALS AT INTERNATIONAL PAPER IN TICONDEROGA:
In September of 1997 IP conducted a very limited trial burn of crumb rubber in the Power boiler at the Ticonderoga mill.  A total of 4 tons of tire crumb rubber was burned over a period of two days.  Other than the continuous emission monitors for carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide no stack emission testing was conducted.   Ash samples from the bottom ash and multiclone (prior to the wet scrubber) were collected and analyzed. 

1997 Test Results for IP Trial Burn of Crumb Rubber  [2.7 MB PDF file]

In September of 2003 International Paper Company (IP) submitted a request to the State of New York Department of Environmental Conservation (NYDEC) for approval to conduct a test burn of tire-derived-fuel in their Power Boiler. The Power Boiler is an 855 million BTU per hour boiler that burns predominantly No.6 fuel oil but also has solid fuel burning capability for burning wood/bark waste generated at the mill. IP proposed to burn shredded tires (95% of the metal wire removed) up to a maximum rate of 3 tons per hour which is approximately 10% of the total capacity of the Power Boiler. The test burn was to take place over a period of up to 30 days and would include stack emission testing both during burning with tire-derived-fuel and without in order to obtain comparative emission data that would be used in support of a potential future permit application for permanent approval. The tire-derived-fuel is intended to displace No.6 fuel oil usage and lower the mill's energy costs.

On January 26, 2004 the NYDEC determined that a formal application to amend the existing Title V Air Permit was required. One year later on February 1, 2005 IP filed the Title V amendment application with the NYDEC. The NYDEC determined the application to be incomplete on March 10, 2005. IP subsequently addressed the deficiencies in the initial application and resubmitted it July 6, 2005.  On August 18, 2005 the Agency hosted a public informational meeting to enable the public to hear from and ask question of International Paper and opposition groups regarding the tire burning issue. On October 12, 2005 the NYDEC issued a “Draft” Title V Air Permit to the International Paper Company approving the test burn of tire-derived-fuel at their Ticonderoga, NY mill. The NYDEC held their official public hearings to take comments on the draft permit on November 9, 2005 and November 30, 2005 at the Ticonderoga Armory Community Center located at 123 Champlain Avenue in Ticonderoga, N.Y.   In order to facilitate public input on the draft permit from Vermont citizens, the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (Agency) also held a public meeting to take comment on the draft permit from those unable to attend the NYDEC meeting or who prefered to make their comments at this meeting instead. The meeting was held on Tuesday November 15, 2005 at the Middlebury Union Middle School located at 48 Deerfield Lane in Middlebury, Vermont. The Agency transcribed the proceedings of the meeting and submitted it to the NYDEC as part of the public record.  The State of Vermont also submitted its own comments on the “Draft” permit to the NYDEC on December 23, 2005. 

On July 27, 2006 the NYDEC issued the “Proposed” permit  to the US EPA Region II for their 45 day review period.  The US EPA did not object to the permit.  The NYDEC then issued a final permit to IP on September 20, 2006 approving the trial burn.  A copy of the final permit can be found below as well as on the NYDEC website at: www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dardata/boss/afs/issued_atv.htm  

International Paper subsequently conducted the trial burn November 6, 2006 through November 14, 2006.  International Paper decided to end the trial prior to conducting the extensive stack emission testing that was scheduled for the second week of the trial due to higher than expected particulate emissions observed during the first week.

IP Title V Permit (5th amendment issued 09/20/2006)   [370 KB PDF file]

IP Title V Permit Review Report (5th amendment issued 09/20/2006)  [145 KB PDF file]

IP Stack Emission Testing Protocol (Revised June 2005)  [13.7 MB PDF file]