Emissions data for Chester-based Covanta’s Delaware Valley Waste-to-Energy facility owned is now available online, the company said.
In an effort to allay residents’ concerns over emissions at the plant, continuous emissions monitoring data will be available to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week on the company’s website. The information monitored is the same information monitored by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), which is required by the facility’s air permit to ensure the company adheres to the Commonwealth’s environmental regulations.
“We care deeply about the Chester community and understand some residents have raised concerns about the facility,” said Derek Veenhof, Covanta’s chief operating officer. “We want residents to know we’ve heard them, and in taking this step, we are demonstrating our commitment to changing the status quo. Chester is an environmental justice community, and as an industrial operator in the community, we take our responsibility for minimizing the impacts of our operation seriously. Our work to reduce emissions and overall environmental impacts is never-ending.”
Monitoring equipment at the Delaware Valley Waste-to-Energy facility monitors for particulate matter in the emissions, as well as gaseous compounds like nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxides. Facility operators also measure the amount of steam produced and ensure the constant high temperatures (approximately 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit) required for full combustion are achieved through proper oxygen and carbon monoxide levels.
“We hope by making this additional monitoring information available, we demystify our operations. Make no mistake, these numbers are the very same ones we see and use to run the plant,” added Heather Needham, the Covanta Delaware Valley facility manager. “This means residents will see the data when the facility is performing normally and in the very rare instances when it is not. We are doing this not because we are required to, but because it’s the right thing to do–and we are committed to doing more.”
DEP regulations stipulate compliance periods of six minutes, one hour, three hours, four hours, and daily averages. Each year, the facility must meet hundreds of thousands of compliance periods. If levels go beyond certain limits for a specified duration, they must be reported to DEP.
“I appreciate Covanta’s efforts to increase transparency around the operation of their facility,” said Chester City Mayor Thaddeus Kirkland. “Covanta has been both a good neighbor and a good partner to Chester. They have been, and continue to be, a part of our community for the long haul, serving the waste disposal needs of our community and many other communities, and is the preferred alternative to landfills while providing important economic benefits to our city and the larger region.”