FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 3, 2012
Contact: Robbie Wilbur
601/961-5277
MDEQ Conducts Successful Hercules Site Demonstration
(Jackson, Miss.) – The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) recently managed a successful demonstration of the proposed odor mitigation method that will be used to dewater the Impoundment Basin at the Hercules, Incorporated site. The impoundment basin was part of the wastewater treatment system at the Hercules site and contains about 4,700 cubic yards of sludge which will be mechanically dewatered in preparation for landfill disposal. Dewatering reduces the moisture content of sludge so that it can be handled or processed as a semi-solid instead of as a liquid. During the test run of sludge dewatering no nuisance odors were detected.
MDEQ is requiring Hercules to remove the sludge in the impoundment basin as it contains chemicals such as benzene and hydrogen sulfide.
During the dewatering process residents will see the following activities at the site:
1) A pump being held over the impoundment basin with a crane.
2) Misters to disperse a fine mist of a harmless, biodegradable anti-odor compound that removes Hydrogen Sulfide from the ambient air.
3) Ambient air monitors monitoring for benzene, odors, and hydrogen sulfide while the sludge is being removed and dewatered.
4) A weather station, including an anemometer, used to track the direction and speed of the wind. Extra caution will be employed when the wind is in the direction of the neighbors.
5) Increased truck traffic.
6) Hours of activity from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m
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