Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1252179
June 2020 / 35 APC NEWS COVID-19. As a result, Research- andMarkets, a marketing research firm, predicts a post-pandemic increase in demand for equipment related to air quality. The study looked at the link between long-term exposure to fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) — generated largely from fuel combustion from cars, refin- eries, and power plants — and the risk of death from COVID-19 in the US. The study looked at 3,080 counties across the country, com- paring levels of fine particulate air pollution with coronavirus death counts for each area. Adjust- ing for population size, hospital beds, number of people tested for COVID-19, weather, and socioeco- nomic and behavioral variables such as obesity and smoking, the researchers found that a small increase in long-term exposure to PM2.5 leads to a large increase in the COVID-19 death rate. According to Researchand- Markets, this is the first research to show a link between air pollu- tion and COVID-19 and suggests that improving air quality may be a key factor in moving into a post-coronavirus world, especially since early evidence indicates that people who were more severely affected by the virus could have lasting lung damage. This is likely to lead to greater demand for air quality monitors and air purifica- tion equipment as countries begin the return to life after lockdown, according to the company. Study cites ways to reduce concrete industry emissions and pollution Concrete production contributes 8 percent of global greenhouse gases, and demand continues to rise as populations and incomes grow. Yet some commonly discussed At the time of the agency's inspections (June and October 2018), each facility contained more than 10,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia, making the facilities sub- ject to Risk Management Program regulations, which are intended to protect communities from acciden- tal release of hazardous substances. Anhydrous ammonia is corrosive to the skin, eyes, and lungs, and exposure may result in injury or death. During the inspections, the EPA determined that the company had failed to follow compliance and handling processes and neglected required testing, inspection, and documentation practices. In response to the inspection findings, Frontier Ag Inc. took the necessary steps to return all three facilities to compliance. Under the terms of the settlement, the com- pany agreed to pay a civil penalty of $71,652. In addition to achieving regulatory compliance, the com- pany also agreed to complete a project designed to enhance safety at six of its ammonia fertilizer facilities by installing emergency shutoff valves and emergency stop buttons. Frontier Ag Inc. estimates the project will cost at least $55,000. In 2019, the EPA identified seven National Compliance Initiatives. One of those was reducing risks from accidental release of hazard- ous substances at industrial and chemical facilities. Market research firm predicts post-pandemic increase in air-quality equipment demand Low air-quality levels have long affected people with asthma and respiratory issues, and now a recent study by Harvard University's T.H. Chan School of Public Health has linked poor air quality with worse outcomes in patients affected by EPA announces Clean Air Act settlements with Portland cement, agribusiness firms The EPA recently announced settle- ments in two cases involving Clean Air Act (CAA) violations: — In a settlement announced in December by the EPA and Depart- ment of Justice, Pennsylvania-based Lehigh Cement Company and Lehigh White Cement Company agreed to resolve alleged CAA violations involving 14 kilns at 11 Portland cement manufacturing facilities located in Alabama, Cal- ifornia, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas. The citation says that on more than one occasion, the companies failed to obtain preconstruction permits and install and operate the appro- priate nitrogen oxide (NO x ) and sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) control tech- nology for major modifications at its cement manufacturing plants, which violated CAA and the corre- sponding state regulations. As part of the settlement, the companies have agreed to invest approximately $12 million in pollu- tion control technology to cut these emissions. Lehigh Cement also will implement an environmental mitigation project at two facilities and pay a $1.3 million civil penalty. According to the EPA, these actions will result in reducing NO x emis- sions by more than 4,555 tons and SO 2 emissions by 989 tons each year. The agency reports that this is one of 12 recent settlements that address harmful air pollution from Portland cement manufacturing facilities. — In January, the EPA announced reaching a settlement with Kansas-based Frontier Ag Inc., a member-owned agribusiness cooperative, to resolve alleged CAA regulation violations involving three ammonia fertilizer facilities located in Bird City and Menlo, KS.