How Stryker DES responded to hazardous waste and other safety challenges to dismantle Virginia's waste-to-energy facility while maximizing recycling opportunities.
Every demolition work is accompanied by inherent risks and potential complications, but some projects only require more careful planning and hard work than others.
The final closure of the Harrisonburg Recycling Facility (RRF) in Harrisonburg, Virginia is one such project.
The Harrisonburg RRF was opened in 1982 and is a waste-to-energy facility owned and operated by the Harrisonburg City Department of Public Works, helping to convert municipal solid waste (MSW) in the area into steam for heating and cooling nearby James McGrady Sun University campus. In addition to providing steam, RRF is also used to reduce the amount of solid waste that needs to be disposed of in local municipal landfills. The facility processes 200 tons of garbage in the area every day and was closed in 2015.
After the closure, the city plans to decommission and partially demolish the factory, and sell the site to the university. In early 2016, the city solicited advice on the implementation phase of the closure. Stryker Demolition & Environmental Services LLC (Stryker DES), based in Wayne, Pennsylvania, emerged from multiple companies as the sole contractor for the job as part of the competitive bidding process.
According to Mark Klotzbach Sr., President of Stryker DES, the final closure of the site was carried out in five main phases: the removal of the remaining waste inventory consisting of municipal solid waste and waste ash; the characterization of the waste residue to determine the appropriate treatment and disposal methods; Use a combination of flushing and vacuum methods to remove and/or purify equipment, piping systems, building structures, or other materials that contain or are contaminated by waste residues; review and certification by a registered professional engineer that the closure was completed in accordance with the approved plan; and obtain Virginia State Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ) approval for closure.
According to Klotzbach Sr., before the actual demolition work begins, his team must ensure that appropriate precautions are taken in relation to the health, safety and welfare of all personnel on site.
Due to VDEQ's regulatory participation and supervision, he said that this project requires a more comprehensive and formal plan and procedure, not only planning the project, but also implementing decommissioning and dismantling. In addition to typical work plans such as health and safety plans and demolition permits, Stryker DES also prepared other documents, including demolition implementation plans, customer-specific activity hazard analysis (AHA), decontamination work plans, emergency action plans, waste sampling and Waste management plans, sampling plans for specific flushing fluids, and dust suppression and air monitoring plans to help eliminate the possibility of safety complications at work.
According to Klotzbach Sr., although this work involves many risks, it is the primary concern to deal with the hazardous waste pollution generated during the treatment of municipal waste for many years.
"A lot of plans and work plans were made before the mobilization," he said. "The demolition strategy is to maintain the safety of our project team and minimize the generation of additional waste streams while achieving appropriate regulatory shutdowns. Cadmium waste was encountered during implementation. For many years, cadmium waste deposits have been produced by household batteries. It is mixed with municipal waste. There is also lead from the operation of historical sites, so these are two exposures that we are very keen on."
Sometimes water is required to isolate these hazardous wastes. However, Stryker DES has taken care to limit its water consumption so as not to generate a large amount of hazardous waste through the spread of pollution. To achieve this goal, they adopted a vacuum method and introduced water only when needed.
Klotzbach Sr. said that Stryker DES implemented various engineering control measures, such as ensuring adequate ventilation on site and implementing a strong personnel monitoring program for employees.
He pointed out that Stryker DES worked closely with the city government and hired an engineering team to supervise the demolition work and verify the company's compliance throughout the project.
“The decontamination and closure of the site required a lot of coordination between the city’s engineers, Draper Aden Associates, and the city of Harrisonburg,” Klotzbach Sr. said. “This coordination is centered on the VDEQ’s closure requirements. The closure requirements are extensive and require a lot of detail to be correct. We conducted a large number of samples — took hundreds of samples — to record the work we did, and we maintain The level of cleanliness, and the work we did to actually close the report itself."
Stryker DES Vice President Mark Klotzbach Jr. said that after the team completed decontamination and final wipes and waste sampling, the company began to demolish the structure through various methods. Most of the demolition work used heavy equipment such as forklifts, high-altitude lifts, skid steer loaders and loaders, but the team’s hydraulic crane weighs between 60-150 tons and has undertaken most of the heavy tasks.
"The facility has a 150-foot high stack with a unique design. There are many piping systems, cyclones and economizers that must be removed from the facility. There is an important selective removal component that requires the use of crane and rigging technology. In the project At this stage, we use multiple cranes to enter the stack and remove multiple parts at once. Sometimes, the cranes must work together to maximize efficiency," Klotzbach Jr. said.
For the finer parts of the work and most of the decontamination work, smaller equipment such as flashlights, HEPA vacuum trucks and various hand tools are used. Klotzbach Jr. sometimes said that the staff needed to take a more detailed approach to the demolition work.
"Where possible, the area of the site is removed mechanically. This is the preferred method. In other cases, we untie the various components of the structure and remove them. We also used reciprocating saws and cuts. Torch," Klotzbach Jr. said. "The part of the facility we are in is still operating, so we must be very careful about what we are doing because there are a lot of field devices. We must be very careful not to interfere with any operating equipment or any lines that are running."
In addition to avoiding the use of other workers and operations in the facility, Klotzbach Sr. said that Stryker DES must be cautious in the layout of the RRF.
"This facility has multiple levels. When we pass by and dismantle parts of the building and various equipment, proper fall protection is our top priority," he said. “We also minimize the risk of falling by covering the holes in the floor that were left by the equipment we removed. In some cases, it is necessary to remove the railings to access a piece of equipment to be removed. In these cases, we Temporary railings are installed. Crane safety is another focus of the project. We need to understand the lifting capacity of each crane. In the planning phase of the project, we make sure to calculate what we will lift before installing something on the crane Weight to ensure that we don’t put our team or equipment at risk."
Klotzbach Sr. said that recycling is critical to Harrisonburg RRF because of the large amount of metal that will be generated from demolition. But only through strict purification and testing, the company can exclude this once dangerous material from the Resource Conservation and Recycling Act (RCRA) landfill.
"Of course, we are required to recycle only metals that are clean or decontaminated and have no waste on them-this is mandatory for passing tests," he said. “We took out about 600 tons of carbon steel. We have a little non-ferrous metal. We pulled out some copper and a little stainless steel, but not a lot. Most of them are plates, structural steel and No. 1 steel. We recycle 100% of these steels. "
In addition to the metal recycling aspect of work, Klotzbach Sr. said that sustainability thinking is filtered through other aspects of the project.
“Although we recycle 100% of our metals, other important parts of the project also meet the sustainability category,” he said. "Minimize water consumption so as not to generate a large amount of additional hazardous waste. In order to minimize water use, vacuum methods are used and water is introduced only when needed. Our purified water is captured and strictly controlled. We box it , Take a sample, and then send it for processing.
"In addition, because we carried out the decontamination work before the demolition, Stryker DES was able to prevent the release of cadmium and lead waste into the environment during the demolition process. Finally, once the decontamination work is completed, all equipment that can be reused or recycled (such as The existing turbine generators in the facility are dismantled and loaded for use by third parties. This is not only sustainable, but also helps offset our customers’ implementation costs.”
In the end, Klotzbach Sr. said that the project “reflects the definition of community enhancement” because Stryker DES not only prevented environmental pollution during the project, but also helped to ensure that the future Harrisonburg is more environmentally friendly.
After many mobilizations and stages, Stryker DES completed this work within two years. Stryker DES staff recorded about 220 working days of on-site time. Except for the full-time construction manager, the number of staff varies from 6 to 23 depending on the specific stage of the project. When everything was completed, Stryker DES staff worked in the field for nearly 30,000 hours without any recordable injuries.
"I have to say that this is a great job. It is difficult because it is complicated, because we have no room for mistakes, we have to do everything right for the closure and make sure that no one gets injured," Klotzbach Sr. Say. "I am proud to say that we have zero injuries at work. We have also proficiently followed the closure plan-we are in a leading position for all the sampling and recording purposes that we are required to perform. Trust me, that is a lot. Because of work The scope is too wide, and the closed report exceeds 500 pages."
Klotzbach Jr. praised the city and state regulators for helping to streamline demolition work. Regarding a project that is easily hindered by regulatory red tape, he said that due to transparent and open communication, government officials and engineering staff from Draper Aden Associates helped guide the project.
"The success of the project is a testament to the city and state, their knowledge and overall engineering supervision," he said. "They are very familiar with the agreement and their communication is excellent. They really laid the foundation for a good working relationship between Stryker DES, the city and state, and Draper Aden Associates."
Stryker DES' work on Harrisonburg RRF has not been overlooked. Due to their due diligence, exemplary safety record, and emphasis on recycling, the project won the company's approval from the National Demolition Association (NDA). In 2019, the association awarded Stryker DES the highest award for excellence in demolition, with a project scope between US$501,000 and US$2 million.
"We are very grateful for this award, but it is indeed a team effort," Klotzbach Sr. said. "A lot of people use this term, but I think sometimes companies tend to do their projects and try to complete it as soon as possible so they can go home. Harrisonburg RRF is different from Stryker DES. We know the importance of doing this well Sex. It takes a lot of time to complete all the closure requirements and check all the regulatory boxes, but our team has completed all the work step by step, and I am extremely proud of what we can do."
This article was originally published in November/December. "Construction and Demolition Recycling" magazine issue. The author is the editor of the "Construction and Demolition Recycling" magazine and can be contacted at aredling@gie.net.
The exemption will eliminate the need for members to use electronic recording devices (ELD), and the new rules require otherwise.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced on November 20 that it will grant service time exemptions to members of the National Waste and Recycling Association (NWRA), which will eliminate the need for new rules to require the use of electronic recording devices (ELD). NWRA in This request was first made in November 2018.
Darrell Smith, President and CEO of NWRA, said: “This is a historic victory for our members in the waste and recycling industry.” “Although NWRA recognizes the safety advantages that ELD brings to other industries, these devices are actually This is counterproductive to our industry and increases the risks associated with distracted driving because drivers in the waste and recycling industries have to interact with them very frequently. We are pleased that FMCSA has agreed to our request for exemptions for members of the association."
According to the exemption, the time limit for waste and recycling collection drivers to return to work reporting locations has been increased from 12 hours to 14 hours. The daily driving limit remains at 11 hours.
According to the final disposition notice issued by the Federal Register on November 21, “This exemption is limited to 49 CFR 395.1(e)(1)(ii) and only applies to drivers of NWRA member companies. These drivers must comply with all FMCSR Other applicable regulations."
On October 25, 2018, the FMCSA approved such an exemption request from the NWRA member company waste management company in Houston, on the grounds that the ready-mixed concrete and asphalt pavement industries set a precedent due to the similarities of the waste and recycling industries to them. Since then, other NWRA members have submitted requests for the same exemption to FMCSA. The association stated that granting this exemption specifically to NWRA members will enable the association’s members to maintain consistent rulemaking.
Jim Riley, NWRA's Chief Legal Counsel and Senior Vice President of Government Affairs, said: "It is estimated that the ELD requirement will cost our members US$116.7 million in two years." Fines imposed on drivers and carriers who exceed the 11-hour driving limit for duty but not driving tasks. This cost saving will enable our members to grow their businesses and create more high-paying jobs."
GFL acquired the AGI group of companies, including Ground Force Environmental, Robert Cooke Trucking and WasteAway Recycling Environmental.
GFL Environmental Inc. of Ontario, Canada announced on November 20 that it has acquired the AGI group of companies, including Ground Force Environmental, Robert Cooke Trucking and WasteAway Recycling Environmental.
AGI is a provider of environmental remediation and waste management services, mainly located in the Kitchener-Waterloo region of Ontario.
"The acquisition of AGI expands and complements GFL's existing liquid waste and soil remediation capabilities in southwestern Ontario," said Patrick Dovigi, founder and CEO of GFL. "We look forward to welcoming the AGI management team and employees led by [AGI founder] Dan Forsyth to join the GFL team and continue to provide its customers with sustainable environmental solutions."
In order to build facilities that can withstand the rigorous work, suitable architects and contractors must be found.
I keep hearing things like this: "I will find an architect to design my transit station, and then it will be easy to find anyone to build it." I am here to tell you that things are not that simple. Some people think that these facilities are just concrete and steel-they won't be that difficult to build, right? Well, in the construction process, there are countless factors at work, and the design intent is not clear enough. During this period, experienced and knowledgeable professionals are required to take the lead.
Although many people think that the dump floor is just a concrete floor with steel bars, the design and composition of the concrete itself are much more numerous. I dare say that 99% of architects and engineering companies do not know how to design a detonation platform to withstand daily abuse. Most importantly, 99% of contractors do not know how to properly pour concrete or place rebar in these facilities. By using a general contracting company to design or build a transfer station, the basic dump floor installed by an inexperienced contractor is likely to wear out too quickly (sometimes within three to seven years) and will cost a lot due to inefficiency and maintenance The life of the capital facility. In contrast, a proper concrete mix design can keep the flanged floor intact for more than 15 years without maintenance.
When it comes to pouring floors, the contractor must have experience in the correct mixing in order to do it correctly. The contractor needs to understand how many control joints should be placed and where, why the floor should be slanted in a certain way, how the reinforcement needs to be placed, why the test is important and how many mixing tests are required during placement, how to cure the floor to limit stress cracks, And various other considerations. Given all these job-specific requirements, it is vital to be able to rely on a construction team that specializes in transit station construction or other similar tasks.
Similar to the strict nature of the cast floor, the wall of the transfer station requires the placement of steel inserts at specific locations. Whether pushing walls, scraping walls, curb walls or pit walls, these need to be placed in precise locations for very specific purposes. The contractor must have experience with these walls because they are responsible for guiding and verifying the placement of all inserts and must understand the reasons for placing them in a specific location. Otherwise, inexperienced general concrete contractors may change the position of the steel bars at will, because they do not understand why the wall is designed in this particular way.
During the construction process, I heard that inexperienced contractors advocated the use of upward-sloping precast walls instead of pouring inserts into place. This is never the answer, because these will not prevent or abuse the facility. In addition, the contractor must understand the pouring sequence and location of the cold joints to maintain the integrity of the wall. Such information is not included in the design drawings, which is another reason why operators must hire competent and experienced contractors to design and build facilities.
Metal construction is another transit station component that requires a more detailed construction process than some people expect. The main goal of the metal building is to create a safe space away from daily operations, while constructing it so that there are no pockets where trash can accumulate. This is why there must be a set of dial-in parameters during the build process. For these reasons, straight columns are preferred. Some other metal building design best practices include ensuring the maximum depth on the pillars, using straight edge conditions on some walls, using bypasses on other walls, providing specific edge positions for the closure plate, and installing a steel pipe to support it. Purpose designed pit deflector, and galvanize the secondary components to obtain long-term durability.
Contractors should also order elevated door jambs that are inherently heavier than their standard counterparts so that they can handle the weight and operation of large rolling doors. Upgrades like this are not always known or properly communicated in the architect's design, but the contractor must understand these requirements in advance in order to incorporate them into the facility design and operation. Metal buildings are a key component of the long-term success of facilities, so it is very important to build these buildings correctly for the first time.
The operator’s goal when selecting a design and construction team should be to find someone with the experience needed to build a facility that is efficient, durable, and requires as little long-term maintenance as possible. Most owners have no experience in constructing these sites, so they have not developed the expertise needed to tell architects and contractors how they should be done. In addition, the owners do not have time to carefully study the details of the construction because they must focus on daily operations. Owners trust architects and contractors and should expect them to know what they are doing related to the project. However, it seems too common that architects and contractors in the industry don't even know what the transfer station is when they start a project. These people are not people who can be trusted to take on the responsibility for the task at hand.
These facilities are a major investment. Operators need to trust the teams they hire and know that these professionals understand the operation of the facility and why certain site-specific building codes are important. It may be helpful to go through the qualification phase before selecting a team. In this process, it is wise to hire multiple architects and contractors, bring them in and ask them to provide qualification statements for similar projects, recommendation letters and resumes of team members who will participate in the project. Then, choose the one that best suits your needs. Although price is an important part of any decision of an enterprise, it should not be a deciding factor when considering the construction of a transit station. This will be one of the most important decisions in your career and needs to be managed accordingly.
This article originally appeared in the October issue of Waste Today. Jeff Eriks is the vice president of business development and marketing for Cambridge Companies in Griffith, Indiana, a design and construction company that has worked with the waste industry for more than 20 years. You can contact him by email JeffEriks@CambridgeCoInc.com.
Leyline Renewable Capital announced that it has reached an agreement with RNG Energy Solutions to provide interim funding for the development of two new anaerobic digestion facilities in Philadelphia and Linden, New Jersey.
Leyline Renewable Capital, located in Durham, North Carolina, announced that it has reached an agreement with RNG Energy Solutions, headquartered in Hampton, New Hampshire, to provide bridging funding for the development of two new anaerobic digestion facilities in Philadelphia and Linden, New Jersey . Leyline Renewable Capital works with developers such as RNG Energy Solutions to provide funding for the pre-construction phase of renewable energy projects, including permitting, engineering, site analysis, and securing interconnection agreements.
"Leyline Renewable Capital demonstrated a unique understanding of the specific challenges posed by the anaerobic digestion space and the development of renewable energy," said James Porter, President of RNG Energy Solutions. "RNG has 30 years of experience and we attach great importance to financing partners who have a deep understanding of the funding needs of the renewable energy industry and developers. Through Leyline Renewable Capital, we have found the ideal combination and believe in these two facilities It represents the first of many cooperation opportunities."
The two RNG Energy facilities will be able to absorb up to 1,100 tons of organic waste per day, thereby producing up to 3,000 days of renewable natural gas per day, equivalent to the energy value of 26,000 gallons of gasoline. The company said that the production of this kind of renewable natural gas used as vehicle fuel will also significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to a reduction of 135 million miles of mileage driven by gas-powered vehicles each year.
"We started Leyline to ensure that renewable energy projects like these RNG energy solutions facilities pass the critical pre-construction phase," said Erik Lensch, CEO of Leyline Renewable Capital. "These projects are the backbone of the next-generation clean energy infrastructure needed to achieve ambitious sustainability, waste reduction and renewable energy goals to combat climate change. Our experienced team of renewable energy professionals understand development first-hand Data and flexible pre-construction capital play an important role in ensuring that such projects complete critical deadlines on time and are economically viable in the communities they serve."
Leyline stated that the two RNG energy facilities funded by Leyline will be one of the largest carbon reduction facilities built in their respective states. The Philadelphia plant is located on 23 acres of the former 1,400 acres of Philadelphia Energy Solutions refinery. It will absorb organic waste from the Philadelphia metropolitan area and convert it into renewable natural gas, which will then be injected into interstate pipelines and sold as transportation fuel.
The second project is located in Linden on the outskirts of New York City and collects organic waste streams from northern New Jersey and the New York metropolitan area. The waste processed at this facility will be converted into biomethane, which will be refined into pipeline quality gas. The facility will enable the Greater Northern New Jersey and New York City areas to reduce waste disposal costs and significantly reduce carbon emissions. It is expected that more than 400 direct and indirect jobs will be created during the construction phase. The facility will eventually employ 30 full-time on-site employees, in addition to 40 jobs related to transportation and off-site processing.