OSHA issues interim guidance on respirator decontamination
OSHA has issued interim enforcement guidance on decontamination of filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs). The guidance notes that, in environments where respiratory protection must be used and acceptable alternatives are not available for use in accordance with OSHA's previous COVID-19 enforcement memoranda, the National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety (NIOSH) has identified limited available research that suggests the following methods offer the most promise for decontaminating FFRs: vaporous hydrogen peroxide, ultraviolet germicidal irradiation and moist heat (e.g., using water heated in an oven).
If those methods are not available, microwave- generated steam and liquid hydrogen peroxide could be suitable options for decontamination. However, NIOSH also states that only respirator manufacturers can reliably provide guidance on how to decontaminate their specific models of FFRs.
For more information, visit www.osha.gov or call (800) 321-6742.
ISEA updates eye and face protection standard
The International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) has updated the American National Standard for eye and face protection. The enhanced standard reinforces the emphasis on matching the protector to the hazard and includes other enhancements responsive to the evolving needs of workers.
ANSI/ISEA Z87.1-2020 is incorporated into OSHA regulations for PPE. The 2020 version includes testing, performance and marking criteria for lenses with antifog properties.
Other key updates include changes in transmittance allowances to recognize the unique properties of wrap lenses and expanded welding filter shades. Additional clarifications have been made throughout to provide consistency in testing execution, such as applying dark-state tolerances for automatic darkening welding filters or determining the minimum coverage area with respect to a specified headform.
For more information, visit www.safetyequipment.org or call (703) 525-1695.
Latest GHG emissions show long-term reductions
The 2020 edition of EPA's comprehensive annual report on nationwide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions shows that since 2005, national GHG emissions have fallen by 10 percent, and power sector emissions have fallen by 27 percent -- even as the U.S. economy grew by 25 percent.
From 2005 to 2018, total U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions fell by 12 percent. In contrast, global energy-related emissions increased nearly 24 percent from 2005 to 2018.
The gases covered by EPA's inventory include CO2, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride and nitrogen trifluoride. The inventory also calculates CO2 emissions removed from the atmosphere by "sinks" (i.e., through the uptake of carbon and storage in forests, vegetation and soils).
For more information, visit www.epa.gov or call (202) 564-4355.
DOE offering $131 million for CCUS technologies
The DOE's Office of Fossil Energy is offering up to $131 million for carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) R&D through one new funding opportunity announcement (FOA) and the winners of five project selections from a previous FOA.
Under the new FOA, DOE is making up to $46 million available for cost-shared R&D projects that capture and store CO2 emissions from industrial sources. The projects will fall under two areas of interest: 1. Initial engineering design for CO2 capture from industrial sources, and 2. Engineering-scale testing of transformational post-combustion CO2 capture technologies.
The winning projects under the FOA will: 1. Assess and verify safe and cost-effective commercial-scale geologic storage sites for anthropogenic CO2 emissions, and 2. Assess the technical and economic viability of carbon capture or purification technologies for sources that will supply CO2 to the storage sites.
For more information, visit www.doe.gov or call (202) 586-5000.
CPV helps avoid 15 million tons of CO2 emissions
Competitive Power Ventures (CPV) estimated that more than 15 million tons of CO2 emissions have been avoided since 2011 as the result of new, highly efficient electric generation facilities. This amount is the equivalent of removing more than 3 million cars from the road for a year.
The outcome demonstrates that CPV remains on track to reach its goal of avoiding more than 50 million tons of CO2 emissions by 2030.
CPV asserts the grid of the future will need complementary, environmentally responsible power generation from renewable sources backed by dispatchable natural gas generators. Maple Hill, CPV's newest solar development project in Pennsylvania, will be a 150-megawatt solar facility and the largest solar project in the state. The solar facility will avoid over 150,000 tons of CO2 per year.
For more information, visit www.cpv.com or call (781) 848-0253.
