SEARCH

Environmental Technology Committee

MISSION: To evaluate environmental technology; disseminate information on technological environmental subjects; provide educational opportunities for the steelmaking community involved in environmental control of steel manufacturing processes; assist in compliance with applicable regulations by providing an open forum for the exchange of technological information, ideas and problems which have environmental impacts on the steel industry; and work toward waste minimization and zero discharge/emissions in the evaluation of technologies as the forces that will be driving industry toward these goals.

The Environmental Technology Committee also recommends subjects for technical report development, including the investigation of new technologies to meet increasingly stringent requirements. The work addresses technical capabilities, limitations and cost effectiveness. They are working to establish and maintain an environmental database, including the survey and documentation of technology currently in place, suitable for continued use, and to evaluate potential refinements to the technologies

The Environmental Technology Operating Committee (ETOC) met at AISTech 2008 on May 7. The committee chair, Paul Sheehan of Capital Engineering LLC, called the meeting to order and welcomed the members and guests. He asked that all in attendance introduce themselves. William Allan of Earth Tech (Canada) Inc. agreed to take the meeting minutes. James Skubak reviewed the two-day Water Technology Conference, which took place in Birmingham, Ala., April 1–4, 2008, and had more than 100 attendees. Comments from the participants were very positive, with many of the comments confirming that the content and level of detail were accurately targeted for the majority of the attendees. Many suggestions for new topics were received, as well. Overall, the conference was considered a success. The ETOC thanked the members of the Water Subcommittee, and especially Mr. Skubak as its chair, for their efforts in making the program worthwhile for all the attendees. The 2009 Best Paper Award selection process was discussed. The committee members completed evaluation forms during the AISTech sessions, and Mr. Sheehan will summarize the results so the winner can be chosen at the next meeting and recognized during AISTech 2009. The 2009 Baghouse Conference, targeted for January 2009, will begin under Mr. Sheehan’s guidance. The AISI/AIST committee integration plans were then discussed. Since the AISI Energy Committee did not integrate with AIST, the structure of the committee did not change, but the name changed to the Environmental Technology Committee (ETC). The election of officers took place, with Mr. Skubak being elected as chair, Frank Fereday of W.L. Gore & Associates Inc. as vice chair, and Bill Allan as papers chair. The ETC mission statement was reviewed and accepted without change to read: “To evaluate environmental technology; disseminate information on technological environmental subjects; provide educational opportunities for the steelmaking community involved in environmental control of steel manufacturing processes; assist in compliance with applicable regulations by providing an open forum for the exchange of technological information, ideas and problems which have environmental impacts on the steel industry; and work toward waste minimization and zero discharge/emissions in the evaluation of technologies as the forces that will be driving industry toward these goals. The Environmental Technology Committee also recommends subjects for technical report development, including the investigation of new technologies to meet increasingly stringent requirements. The work addresses technical capabilities, limitations and cost-effectiveness. They are working to establish and maintain an environmental database, including the survey and documentation of technology currently in place, suitable for continued use, and to evaluate potential refinements to the technologies.” It was announced that Ray Sims of Nucor Steel completed his two-year term as the Division I representative on the AIST board of directors, and the new representative is Butch Collins of the Safety and Health Technology Committee (the other Technology Committee in Division I). Following Mr. Collins’ tenure, the next Division I board representative will be selected from the ETC (usually the past chair). The 2008 Environmental Technology Best Paper and Presentation Award was presented to Kent Peaslee, Von Richards, Hank Rawlins and Simon Lekakh of the Missouri University of Science & Technology for their paper entitled, “The Use of Steelmaking Slag for Mineralogical Sequestration of Carbon Dioxide — Aqueous Processing.” Mr. Skubak presented a plaque to Mr. Sheehan for his service as the ETOC chair for 2007–2008. The committee members thanked Mr. Sheehan for his service over the past year. The next ETC meeting is scheduled for Oct. 6–7, 2008, with the location to be determined. Visit www.aist.org for the most up-to-date information.