International Paper - Augusta Mill - Executive Summary |
|
International Paper owns and operates a large Bleached Board paper mill in Augusta, Georgia. The mill is fully integrated: from incoming wood to coated final product with the pulping part of the operation based on the Kraft process. All aspects of safety, chemical or otherwise, as well as environmental stewardship, are top mill and corporate priorities and are clearly spelled out in corporate policies and goals. As stated in the Corporate Agenda: Vision - We will be responsible members of the communities where we live and work. Principles of Excellence - We respect and protect the environment, and the health and safety of our fellow employees. - We are good citizens who actively participate in our communities. Corporate Goals - Accident-free workplace. - Continuous improvement in environmental performance. - El imination of environmental incidents. - Active involvement in communities where we live and work. The primary function of the mill is the manufacture of coated bleached paperboard. Major sections of the mill include the woodyard for preparing pulping chips, pulping lines, bleach plants, power house (including chemical recovery), recausticizing area for recycling cooking liquors, paperboard mill and finishing/shipping area. The regulated substances used at the mill are Chlorine and Chlorine Dioxide. Chlorine is used in the treatment of water for the mill operations and Chlorine Dioxide is manufactured on-site for the bleaching of wood pulp. Chlorine was also used for the bleaching of wood pulp, but to reduce the use of toxic chemicals in the mill, elemental Chlorine bleaching was discontinued permanently in April of 1999, which significantly reduces the offsite risks of a chemical release accident. The worst-case scenario for the mill would be the fai lure of a one ton cylinder of Chlorine at the water treatment plant. The strength of these cylinders and the rigid Chlorine Institute inspection procedures used for these cylinders make it highly unlikely that such a total failure would occur. However, should there be such an event, the EPA's OCA Guidance Reference Tables, for this scenario, indicate the potential to impact receptors such as residences, schools and other industrial sites. The alternate release scenario for Chlorine is the breakage of a valve during the handling of one ton cylinders of Chlorine at the water treatment plant. Under this scenario the opening in the cylinder would allow the liquid Chlorine to escape and vaporize, taking 30 minutes to leak down. Such a release has the potential to impact neighboring industrial sites but would not impact residential areas. The alternate release scenario for Chlorine Dioxide would be the breakage of a process pipeline between the solution storage area and one of the bleach p lants. Assuming that for some reason the delivery pump could not be shut down it is expected that that the discharge would last for 30 minutes before the mill's Emergency Response Team could suit up and stop the flow. The alternative release scenario under the above assumption was modelled and the potential impacted area includes receptors such as residences and other industrial sites. In actual fact the loss of flow would trigger the alarms in the bleach plant, the reason for the alarms would immediately be investigated and the system would be shut down in much less than 30 minutes. Also, while the spill would be outside of the storage tank containment area, The Emergency Response Team would be deluging the spill with water to lessen the impact of the release. Both of the toxic chemicals discussed above are also covered under the mill's PSM program.The closure date for the completion of all changes from the latest compliance audit shown in data element 7.10 would appear to be late. The issue is related to mill wide alarms which are in place but cannot be heard clearly in all areas of the mill. Capital has been appropriated to address this issue. Interim measures are in place including two-way radios, automatic telephone alarms to every mill telephone and a formalized word-of mouth warning system. It should be noted that International Paper's PSM standards exceed those of OSHA. There are many similar parts to PSM and RMP which means that the mill has been adhering to the purpose and most of the requirements of RMP for a number of years. Enhanced training for both operations and maintenance personnel is in place for all of the covered processes as well as the Distributed Control System alarm systems to alert operations should the covered systems develop leaks or more major faults. We have had no accidental releases from the covered processes during the past 5 years that have resulted in offsite consequences. We did have a small release of Chlorine Dioxide in August of 1998 where we took the precaution of alerting the LEPC while we fully assessed the incident. No offsite consequences resulted. Training and preparation for a release include on-site emergency response teams for each shift, trained to the Hazardous Materials (Haz-Mat) technician level. These teams receive an annual 40 hour training at an off-site fire academy and drill monthly under the direction of the in-house fire chief. There is a site emergency response plan, emergency operations center and on-site (24-hour operation) medical department. Should a major release occur emergency and plant alarms would be activated and the on-shift ERT would respond to the scene with their Haz-Mat trucks, ambulance and mobile command vehicle. The shift emergency manager would initiate the appropriate response and the Augusta-Richmond County EMA would be notified with assistance requested if necessary. The plant emergency operations center would be activated as needed and the plant weather system monitored as well as notification of senior management and technical for support if required. If the event were serious enough to require public notification this would be coordinated through the Augusta-Richmond County EMA. The mill is well prepared should an emergency occur. However, as opportunities are presented and as technology advances in the areas of sensors and control devices which would enhance the day-to-day safety of these processes, these opportunities will be explored. |