Air Pollution Control Awards: Promoting a Clean Environment
Published on April 4, 2019
Mayor Tommy Battle recognized six companies for achieving this goal in emission reduction. The 2018 Achievement Awards were presented to the following companies during a ceremony on April 4:
BASF Catalysts, The Boeing Company, PPG Industries, Pratt & Whitney Automation, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama, and Vulcan Materials Company. More information about the companies and their environmental achievements is posted below.
Congratulations to these outstanding companies for setting the bar in pollution control and pollution prevention projects.
2018 Award Recipients – Emission Reduction
BASF Catalysts, LLC At their manufacturing plant on Kellner Road, BASF manufactures catalytic converters for the automotive industry as well as catalysts used in other air pollution control applications. In 2017, the facility increased recycling and reduced the amount of waste generated on-site and hauled off-site for landfill disposal or incineration. This results in an estimated reduction in CO2 emissions of over 692 tons, equivalent to removing the impact from 146 passenger vehicles and conserving 77,814 gallons of gasoline. (2006, 2007, and 2017 Award Recipient).
The Boeing Company The Boeing facilities located in the Jetplex Industrial Park and Cummings Research Park in Huntsville provide design engineering, integration and testing services for missile defense systems and space exploration hardware. In 2017, The Boeing Company replaced three on-site chillers with more energy efficient units at their Jetplex facility. Resulting energy savings at the facility are about 656 MWh/year, enough to power 37 homes in the Huntsville area for one year. (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 Award Recipient).
PPG Industries, Inc. PPG manufactures aircraft windshields and cabin windows at their plant in the Chase Industrial Park in Huntsville. In 2017, PPG replaced a glass edging machine with a newer, more efficient unit and repaired leaks in the compressed air system. Resulting energy savings at the facility are about 341 MWh/year, enough to power 19 homes in the Huntsville area for one year. (2015, 2016, and 2017 Award Recipient).
Pratt & Whitney Automation, Inc. Pratt & Whitney Automation in Huntsville applies coating to aircraft blades using a robotic operation. In 2017, Pratt & Whitney Automation installed a regenerative thermal oxidizer on their coating operations; implemented the use of more precise spray coating application nozzles, reducing overspray and chemical usage; and modified coating booths to operate on less electricity. These improvements have significantly reduced the volatile organic compound (VOC) and hazardous air pollutant (HAP) emissions from the facility into the Huntsville area. This is Pratt & Whitney Automation’s first Air Pollution Control Award from the City of Huntsville.
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama manufactures 4-cylinder, 6-cylinder and 8-cylinder automobile engines at its plant on Cottonvalley Drive in the North Huntsville Industrial Park in Huntsville. In 2017, Toyota installed larger capacity motors and variable frequency drives on cooling system pumps and fans for air compressors and compressed air dryers. Resulting energy savings at the facility are about 413 MWh/year, enough to power 23 homes in the Huntsville area for one year. (2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017 Award Recipient).
Vulcan Materials Company Vulcan Materials operates a limestone quarry and associated stone crushing and sizing process equipment at its Huntsville Quarry on Stringfield Road in north Huntsville. In 2017, Vulcan Materials Company rebuilt screen towers and material chutes as well as replaced two large diesel loaders and three large haul trucks with newer, more efficient models at their Stringfield Road quarry. The equipment repairs/modifications and replacements have significantly reduced fugitive particulate emissions as well as combustion-related emissions from the facility into the Huntsville area. (2008, 2009 and 2010 Award Recipient).
Front row (L to R): Air Pollution Control Board members – Dr. Yong Wang, John Ehinger, Jennifer Shea, and Joseph Aiello
Back row (L to R): Helen Williams (BASF Catalysts, LLC), Alison Marion (Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama), Ralph Witherow (Vulcan Materials Company), (Mayor), Jim Gabaree (Pratt & Whitney Automation, Inc.), Ethan Widener (PPG Industries, Inc.), and Marc Asiedu (The Boeing Company)