Past AIST Committee Activities

January 28 , 2008 - The Environmental Technology Operating Committee (ETOC) met on Jan. 28 in Ontario, Calif., at California Steel Industries. They reviewed the status of their sessions for AISTech 2008 in Pittsburgh, Pa., and finalized their session titles and session chairs. They also reviewed their upcoming Specialty Conference, the Water Management Training Seminar, which will be held April 1–2 in Birmingham, Ala. This conference will focus on the key components for water in steel manufacturing. The committee chair, Paul Sheehan, updated the committee members on the integration of the AISI Manufacturing Committees into AIST Technology Committees. Methods of collaborating with the AISI Environmental Committee were reviewed, since this committee was not part of the integration plan. Michael DiCostanzo of CSI gave a presentation on environmental upgrades at CSI. After the business meeting, the ETOC  joined the Southern California Member Chapter for a chapter meeting, at which Alan Bedwell of CDM gave a presentation on “Preparing the Steel Industry for Greenhouse Gas Regulations.”

September 24-25 , 2007 - The Environmental Technology Operating Committee (ETOC) held a meeting on Sept. 24–25 in Baltimore, Md. Led by chair Paul Sheehan and vice chair James Skubak, committee members reviewed abstracts in order to develop technical sessions for AISTech 2008. The ETOC plans to hold a six-paper session on Monday afternoon and a four-paper session on Tuesday morning at AISTech 2008. Chairs were selected for each session, and the ETOC planned another meeting for Tuesday, May 6, 2008. Guest speaker Thomas Tyler (national sector liaison: iron and steel, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) spoke on various environmental topics, including “The U.S. EPA Sector Strategies Program,” “Energy Trends in Selected Manufacturing Sectors” and “Mercury Pollution Prevention.” Mr. Tyler provided Web links, handouts and CD-ROMs as part of his presentation. James Skubak chaired a conference call to review outlines for the Water Management Training Seminar planned for April 1–3, 2008, in Birmingham, Ala. The meeting concluded with a tour of ArcelorMittal – Sparrows Point – Humphreys Creek wastewater treatment plant. The tour was hosted by Joseph Robier III, water treatment supervisor, of ArcelorMittal. The next ETOC meeting is tentatively scheduled for Jan. 28, 2008, in California, with a tour of California Steel.

June 12, 2007 - The Water Management Subcommittee of the Environmental Technology Operating Committee held a conference call on June 12 to continue the final preparations for the Water Management Training Seminar, scheduled for April 2–3, 2008, in Birmingham, Ala. See page 124 for details on this upcoming seminar.

May 9, 2007 - The Environmental Technology Operating Committee (ETOC) met on May 9 during AISTech 2007 in Indianapolis, Ind. Art Hall of Wheatland Tube Co. is the chair of this committee. Greetings were extended and each person attending was asked to introduce himself/herself and identify his/her company. The 2007 Environmental Technology Award nomination for best paper presented at the AISTech 2007 was discussed. It was decided that all the committee members will have a chance to vote for the best paper and choose the award winner at the next ETOC meeting. Jim Skubak of Foremost Environmental Consulting discussed the status of the Water Management Training Seminar, which will be held in April 2008. The seminar is in the final stages of planning and promises to be a great training forum for those involved in water management. The new officers for 2007–2008 were elected. Paul Sheehan of Sponseller Group is the new chair, Jim Skubak of Foremost Environmental Consulting is the new vice chair, and the papers co-chairs will be Frank Fereday of W.L. Gore & Associates and Mike Allen of GE Energy. The ETOC reviewed its mission statement: “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 Operating 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 members agreed that this mission serves the committee well. Mr. Hall was given a plaque in appreciation of his leadership and service as the committee chair during the past year. The next ETOC meeting will be located near Philadelphia in September.

May 8, 2007 - The Water Management Training Subcommittee of the Environmental Technology Operating Committee met at the AISTech 2007 Conference on May 8, 2007, in Indianapolis, Ind. This subcommittee was established to organize a training program for steel mill operators and professionals on water management in the steel industry. Jim Skubak of Foremost Environmental Consulting chaired this meeting and welcomed everyone. The conference schedule and speaker commitments were discussed at length. Most of the speakers have confirmed their commitment to give presentations. The conference will be held in Birmingham, Ala., at the beginning of April 2008. The next Water Management Training Subcommittee meeting is scheduled for June 12, 2007, to continue finalizing conference details.

February 8, 2007 - The Environmental Technology Operating Committee (ETOC) met in San Antonio, Texas, on Feb. 8, 2007. Art Hall of Wheatland Tube Co. is the chair of this committee. Greetings were extended, and each person attending introduced himself and identified his company. Mr. Hall emphasized that the primary task of the meeting was to finalize the papers, presentations and session chairs for AISTech 2007. A lively discussion for improving attendance and attracting new active members took place next. It was agreed that presentations by speakers regarding new environmental issues and/or new environmental technology should be scheduled for the same day as the committee meeting to attract more attendance. The Water Specialty Conference, originally targeted for 2007, was discussed. A conference call for the Water Specialty Conference Subcommittee was scheduled for the end of February to see if sufficient commitments could be obtained and in what time frame. The committee then took a very informative tour of CPS Energy’s JKS No. 1 power plant near San Antonio. The next meeting will be at AISTech 2007 in Indianapolis, Ind., on Wednesday, May 9. The agenda will include the election of officers and the presentation of the Best Paper Award, selected from papers presented at AISTech 2006.

October 10, 2006 - The Environmental Technology Operating Committee (ETOC) met in Baltimore, Md., in conjunction with the Operations and Maintenance of Particulate Control Equipment and Systems Specialty Conference on Oct. 10, 2006. Committee chair Arthur Hall opened the meeting and welcomed the presenters and fellow committee members. He then read the anti-trust guidelines and AIST staff announcements. The committee reviewed and selected abstracts for two sessions for AISTech 2007. They also agreed to have a joint session with the Iron Producing Operating Committee. The ETOC decided to meet after its AISTech 2007 sessions on Wednesday, May 9, from noon to 2 p.m. The committee then nominated Steven Arthur Bradbury’s paper, “Passive Dust Control for Steel Mills — Control Dust Without the Use of Baghouses or Suppression,” for the ETOC Award for Best Paper from AISTech 2006. The paper was presented by John Fischer. The next meeting will take place Feb. 8 in conjunction with the Electric Furnace Specialty Conference in San Antonio, Texas. The meeting will include a tour of a large coal-fired power plant baghouse and wet flue gas desulfurization system just outside San Antonio.

May 2, 2006 - The Environmental Technology Operating Committee met during AISTech 2006 in Cleveland, Ohio, on May 2. The Operating Committee chair presented the 2006 Environmental Technology Best Paper Award to the authors of the paper entitled, “Waste Plastics — A Resource for EAF Steelmaking,” which had been presented at AISTech 2005. A report was given regarding the Environmental Technology technical sessions at AISTech 2006. Each committee member played an active role this year in evaluating the environmental presentations for next year’s Best Paper Award. Following the discussion on AISTech 2006, an election of officers was held. The organizers of the Environmental Technology specialty conference on baghouse maintenance gave an update on the current status of the conference. It will be held in Baltimore, Md., Oct. 11–13, 2006. The committee is also considering a water management training seminar for 2007.  The next meeting for the committee will be held in conjunction with the specialty conference in Baltimore on Oct. 10, 2006.

January 30, 2006 - The Environmental Technology Operating Committee met on Jan. 30, 2006, in Bethlehem, Pa. The committee reviewed the technical sessions for AISTech 2006. Morning and afternoon environmental technology sessions will be held on Monday, May 1. The AIST Environmental Technology Best Paper and Presentation Award was finalized. Members discussed sponsoring a fall 2006 Specialty Conference on operation and maintenance of particulate control equipment and systems and a spring 2007 Specialty Conference on water. Gary Amendola of Amendola Engineering and Steve Rowlan of Nucor Corp. provided presentations on mercury and the upcoming federal regulations as they relate to the steel industry. Atlantic States Cast Iron Pipe Co. recently installed a cupola emission control system to adhere to the upcoming regulations and supplied a tour of their Phillipsburg, N.J., facility. The next ETOC meeting will be on May 2, 2006, during AISTech 2006 in Cleveland, Ohio.

May 11, 2005 - The Environmental Technology Operating Committee gathered at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, N.C., on May 11. The members selected a winner for the Environmental Technology Best Presentation Award based on the technical sessions at AISTech 2005. The committee discussed the possibility of sponsoring R&D projects through AIST. A mission statement was developed and approved by the committee. Members agreed to investigate the feasibility of hosting a Specialty Conference in 2006. Topics centered on baghouses and solid waste. The next meeting will be hosted by Heritage Environmental Services in Indianapolis, Ind., on Sept. 12.

January 28, 2005 - The Environmental Technology Operating Committee conducted their meeting in Charleston, SC on January 28, 2005. Elections were held for 2005-2006 officers and by unanimous vote Art Hall was nominated Chair, Paul Sheehan was nominated Vice Chair and Chuck Blumenschein was nominated Papers Chair. The committee discussed Section 316B of the Clean Water Act as well as regulations concerning the removal, management and emissions of mercury. The ETOC will sponsor a joint session with the Electric Steelmaking Operating Committee at AISTech 2005 on Tuesday, May 10, 2005 and the Environmental Technology meeting will be held on the following day. Members agreed that the committee would like to present an award for “Best Presentation” from the environmental sponsored papers.

September 15, 2004 - The Environmental Protection Systems Operating Committee convened on Sept. 15 at AISTech 2004. The members reaffirmed the request to change the committee name to Environmental Technology and to create individual subcommittees for air, water and solid waste. The subcommittee for water will research the feasibility of benchmarking through an e-mail-based survey. The subcommittee for solid waste has already created and distributed such a survey and will present the results to the committee. The members reviewed the committee-sponsored technical sessions at AISTech. Members were then assigned to review the abstract submittals and to coordinate the sessions for AISTech 2005. A meeting is tentatively scheduled for January at Nucor Steel in Huger, S.C.

May 18, 2004 - The Environmental Protection Systems Operating Committee conducted an initial meeting in Cleveland, Ohio, on May 18, and the structure of AIST’s Technology Divisions and Operating Committees was reviewed. The members asked that the committee guidelines be distributed and the division structure defined. The members elected to change the name of the committee from Environmental Protection Systems to Environmental Technology and petitioned that AIST accept and approve the change. AISTech technical sessions were reviewed, and session chairs were elected. The committee discussed how to improve the assessments of authors and the quality of presentations for future conferences. The members outlined the utilization of the AIST Environmental Protection Systems Members Only area as a means for soliciting presentations at future committee meetings. The next Environmental Protection Systems meeting will be held at AISTech 2004.