Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, May 25, 1993 TAG: 9305250402
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RICK LINDQUIST STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
After council went into executive session, parties on both sides of the dispute gathered in the hallway to talk things over.
"We are not adversaries," New River Castings General Manager Brent McCombs told New Town resident John Hannifin, who had complained to council earlier that particulate air pollution from the plant had ruined vehicle finishes.
McCombs characterized the April 24 release of dust as a "discrete failure" of dust-collection equipment in a foundry "bag house."
"We've got nothing to hide," he told another resident who approached him.
During the meeting, McCombs told council that an inspection of bag-house equipment in March "indicated the bags needed to be replaced" after about 18 months in service. He said the bags, which function like a vacuum cleaner bag to collect dust particles from a finishing process, should have lasted two or three years.
The plant intended to replace the deteriorating bags during its summer shutdown but, McCombs said, plant officials were surprised when the bags broke down completely in April, before the company could get replacements.
He said the company now stocks a complete set of spare bags.
Asked about the composition of the discharges, he said it was "about 80 percent iron" particles. He said a company-ordered laboratory analysis showed "very minute quantities" of heavy metals but nothing toxic.
"We want to make it right," he said of the problems experienced by residents. "We intend to be good neighbors."
Bob Saunders, assistant director of the state Air Pollution Control Department office in Roanoke, said automatic air sampling that same weekend indicated the company's discharges into the air were well within permissible limits. He also said it was unusual that all the dust collection bags in the bag house failed at the same time.
Saunders told council that New River Castings, which is owned by Intermet Corp., followed all applicable rules in reporting and handling the discharge incident. He agreed there should have been nothing hazardous in the discharges, which have been blamed for pitting automobile finishes and other property.
Owners of damaged vehicles claim they've been unable to wash or polish away the damage as they have in the past. "You can't get it off," said Gary Martin.
Saunders conceded that wind and weather conditions, and the size of dust particles released, could have affected the air pollution monitor's readings.
Memo: ***CORRECTION***