Power Plant Would Burn More Tires
A power plant's burning of shredded-tire discards is producing less pollution than expected at power plant in Alcona County, MI, designed principally for burning wood chips and sawdust.
Viking Energy of Lincoln therefore is seeking a state permit to burn 2.3-million shredded tires a year-more than tripling its current burn of 614,400 per year as a supplement to its primary combustion source.
The company says it can increase tire consumption without exceeding the air-pollution limits set by its current permit from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. The emission limits would stay the same under the new permit.
According to the news story carried by The Bay City Times, such emissions as particulate matter and carbon monoxide actually have dropped considerably since the plant began adding shredded-tire material to its incinerator, according to Mark Stephens, of the state's DEQ. The tires increase the temperature of the fire, so the burn is cleaner, he explained.
The carbon released by the tires also allows the air filter on the plant's stack to operate more efficiently to trap pollution and small particles, Stephens said.
However, a Lincoln resident and critic of Viking's use of alternative fuels, argued the additional tires would increase emissions of sulfur dioxide and possibly other pollutants.
The DEQ, according to the Times, is evaluating the Viking permit request. Viking Energy of Lincoln has a state permit to mix up to 30% of alternative fuels--such as tires and creosote-treated wood-to the sawdust burned at the plant.
The village of Lincoln approved a zoning ordinance in 1997 banning alternative fuel burning exceeding the 30% at the plant.
Stephens said the DEQ would not take that ordinance into consideration its decision to issue a new permit.
The DEQ also is evaluating two other requests to burn tires at power plants in the northern Lower Peninsula, Stephens said. Viking Energy of McBain is seeking to burn 2.3-million tires annually, and the Grayling Generating Station Limited Partnership has applied to trial-burn 288,500 tires.