HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-12-12 PACKET 05.2.
MEMORANDUM
TO: Jennifer Levitt, PE, City of Cottage Grove
FROM: Thomas Henning, PE, Short Elliott Hendrickson, Inc.
DATE: December 3, 2012
RE: Review of Permit for 3M Cottage Grove Specialty Additives
SEH No. 122701 COTTG
In response to your request, Short Elliott Hendrickson, Inc. has conducted a review of the Major
Amendment to Permit 1630002-004 issued to the 3M Cottage Grove Specialty Additives (“3M”) facility
located in Cottage Grove, Minnesota. The amended permit was issued on November 2, 2012.
The permit authorized 3M to replace an existing baghouse with a new baghouse. A baghouse is a
mechanical filter that removes particulate matter (or “dust”) from exhaust air. Both the existing baghouse
and the new baghouse control particulate matter generated on Glass Bubble Maker #21. 3M provides the
following description of “Glass Bubbles” on their website at
http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/Energy-Advanced/Materials/Products/Glass_Bubbles/:
“Glass Bubbles are hollow glass microspheres with a high strength to density ratio.
Lightweight but with a high compressive strength for processing survival. Potential
enhancements include high volume filler loading, reduced warpage/shrinkage, improved
processability and more.
3M glass bubbles offer a variety of products with a variety of size, strength and densities.
Their low density and high strength make them ideal additives for many thermoplastic
and thermoset parts in a wide range of end-user markets including automotive, truck,
OTR, aerospace, construction, electronics, and for use in caulk, grout, adhesives,
cryogenics – the list goes on and on. Not only can they help reduce weight, but they can
also help improve dimensional stability and increase processing throughput.”
According to the 3M website, glass bubbles are used by 3M customers for many applications including
paints and coatings, construction materials, injection molded and extruded polymers, cast thermoplastic
and thermoset polymers, potting compounds, synthetic foam, and sealants.
The installation of the new baghouse will result in an improvement in the air quality in the City of
Cottage Grove. The new baghouse is subject to a more stringent limit that the old baghouse limit. The
new baghouse must achieve greater than 99% particulate matter removal efficiency. In addition, the
baghouse is subject to the federal Compliance Assurance Monitoring program which includes
requirements to operate the baghouse within an acceptable pressure differential range, conduct specified
operation and maintenance procedures, and perform quarterly control equipment inspections.
TAH/tah/SDP
p:\ae\c\cottg\common\3m bld 112 permit\cg 3m specialty additives baghouse permit 11-30-12.doc
Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc., 3535 Vadnais Center Drive, St. Paul, MN 55110-5196
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