The Greater Vancouver Sewerage and Drainage District is suing Maxxam Analytics International Corp. and Covanta Burnaby Renewable Energy ULC for Supposedly failing to properly test fly ash samples in the district waste-to-energy facility in Burnaby.

The district filed a notice of civil conflict in BC Supreme Court on October 16. Covanta, according to the claim, works the incinerator plant under contract with the district, and the facility generates fly ash that has to be treated before leaving the plant tested monthly to guarantee compliance with hazardous waste regulations.

Non-hazardous fly ash is accepted and disposed of at the Cache Creek landfill, the claim says. Samples examined by Maxxam at the summer and fall of 2012, however, came back suggesting elevated levels of cadmium that exceeded acceptable amounts allowed for disposal at the landfill.

The outcome, the district asserts,”called into question the effectiveness of the treatment of fly ash” at the facility, forcing the plaintiff to incur costs by requiring more sampling and analyzing, investigating the cause of the elevated cadmium levels and finding another disposal site for fly ash in Alberta. Following the Ministry of Environment struck on the district using an advisory letter of non-compliance, the plaintiff hired”consultants, experts and legal counsel” to help investigate.

An audit of Maxxam’s lab found that it did not follow proper methods, known as the”Toxic Characteristic Leaching Procedure” and the”United States Environmental Protection Agency Method 1311″ to test the fly ash, according to the lawsuit. The Ministry of Environment’s assessment found Maxxam’s results unreliable because of improper testing procedures and found that”Covanta’s quality control and quality assurance protocols at the WTEF [Waste-to-Energy Facility] were not sufficiently developed to determine if leachability was occurring or if a problem with the treated fly ash and/or the treatment system was occurring,” the claim states. Additionally, the ministry found that Covanta couldn’t easily”provide assurance that the treated fly ash fulfilled the toxic waste requirements under the Hazardous Waste Regulation.”

The district seeks damages for negligence, misrepresentation, negligent operation of a service and breach of contract. The allegations have never been proven in court and the defendants hadn’t filed responses to the promise by press time.

Incinerator dual chamber with capacity 1.5 m3/batch or 6 m3/ day, digital thermocontrol range 0‐1200

C, thermocouple, air supply capacity 10m3/ minute, power consumption 1.2kWH/ hour, power 3

phase with netral, cooling water sprinkler capacity 5L/ minute, completed with refractory (insulation,

castable, ceramic blanket) and PLC

SUPPLY, INSTALLATION AND COMMISSIONING OF WASTE INCINERATOR – TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

The Waste Incinerator is designed to burn Type IV of pathological waste and infectious, contaminated “red bag,” surgical

dressings, plastic test devices and other wastes.
General Specifications
Burner:  2 burners (primary burner and second burner)
Fuel: Oil
Capacity (Cubic Mtr): 0.65
Ave Capacity: 60 kg per hour
Fuel Consumption (ltrs / hr):13
External Dimensions
Length (mm): 2300
Width (mm): 1220
Height Incl. Flue (mm) 7000
Door Opening (mm) 610 x 710 610 x 710
Operation
Min. Operating Temperature: 950
Max. Operating Temperature: 1320
Residency Time in Second Chamber: 5 sec
Temperature Monitoring: YES
Other clarification
Easy and safe operation
Large counter-balanced fill door with electrical    lockout.
Automatic control system provides preset burn times and shut off.
Reload light indicates to operator when it is time to recharge.
Be required for burnout of final charge.
Low energy consumption levels
Programmable digital temperature controls maintain temperature, assuring complete combustion while conserving fuel.
 Pressure blower with modulating air control creates turbulence and distributes combustion air to secondary chamber.
 Secondary burner with temperature activated modulating control provides fast preheat and   sustains high temperature

performance at low energy consumption levels.
Charging rate

Anchor all equipment to building floor or structure as shown or as recommended by manufacturer with allowance

for thermal expansion as necessary.

1. Control and Instrument Panel: Rigidly attach enclosure to structural element of the building. Locate panel so

that all control switches and indicators are within 1700 mm (5.5 feet) of the floor and are located alongside the area

where personnel will be loading the unit.

1. Clean interior and exterior of all equipment before placing in service.

1. Initially operate incinerator at firing rates and time periods recommended by the manufacturer of the

refractory to provide proper curing of the refractory. Provide printed curing instructions from refractory manufacturer

at the site prior to first start up.

1. Personnel Protection for High Surface Temperature: If incinerator has surface temperatures exceeding 40 degrees

C (70 degrees F) above ambient, provide removable chain barricades mounted on 1070 mm (3 1/2 feet) high removable steel

posts spaced 1200 mm (four feet) on centers. Locate barricade at least 900 mm (three feet) away from hot surfaces.

Provide yellow polyethylene chain with removable hooks at each post. Provide sign attached to each chain reading,

“Caution, High Temperature”.

1. Do you have model YD-500 as a mobile unit? In case of a major crisis in one of the clusters we would like to have

the option to move the unit closer to the location to avoid transporting the dead cows. Do you have any mobile

solution?

2. Please elaborate what additional equipment we will need to buy to operate each unit? I need to know the total cost

per unit.

3. Does the unit need to be under a roof?
4. How is the loading of the dead cow into the incinerator done?
5. How is the incinerator emptied?
6. Are there any limitations on how we should dispose the remains from the incinerator?
7. Does the unit require a dedicated trained operator? How long does it take to train one?
8. Do you send your engineer for installation, commissioning and operation?
9. Assuming we have 3 dead cows a day per incinerator – how many hours a day it would take to complete the job?
10. In case of crisis can the unit work continuously 24H a day?
11. Is there any impact of smoke or smell on the surrounding?

3.2        INSPECTIONS AND TESTS:

1. General: Demonstrate to the Department of Veterans Affairs that all equipment complies with requirements. The

Contracting Officers Technical Representative (COTR)/Resident Engineer (RE), or their representative shall witness all

tests. Representatives of the pollution control authority that has jurisdiction shall also witness emissions tests.

Provide two weeks advance notice to the COTR/RE of all testing. Pretest all items prior to the final testing that is

witnessed by the COTR/RE.

1. Condition of Equipment after Delivery, Rigging, Placement: After setting equipment on foundations, and prior to

making any connections to equipment, the Contractor and COTR/RE jointly shall inspect interior and exterior for damage.

Correct all damage by repair or replacement to achieve a like new condition.

Heater Kind: Containerized, gasoline
Burning Price:100–– – – 120kg/hour. Minimum Operating Temperature:850 o C( key combustion).
Optimum Operating Temperature:1450 oC( Afterburner chamber).
Extra Burning Ability: Compulsory.
Density Insulation:20 mm High.
Refractory Dispersing: Minimum 65mm.
Strong refracting lining to hold up against:1500 oC.
Common stress out time: optimum:3 personnels.
Fuel kind: Diesel.
Gas Intake in L/hr:7.5 to 9.
Residence time in secondary chamber:2 sec.
Residue ash pot 100kg: Max 3.8 kg.
Heater kind: Pet waste burner.
Lots Capacity minimum: 1500 kg.
Heating unit gas kind: Diesel.
Heater fuel price max.: 20-25 Litre diesel/ per hr.
Heaters minimum: 3.
Burning rate minimum: 200-300kg/ per hr.
Heating system bar place minimum: 2 м3.
Gas container capacity minimum: 300L.
Key chamber melting temperature level min. 1100 0C.
Afterburner chamber burning temperature minutes. 1300 0C.
Power supply 220V.
Burner products and also electrical tools should be weather condition proof as well as also moisture immune within the collection of 30-90 %.
Burner requires to be certified to the ecological monitoring policies in accordance to national legislation.
Maximum dimensions– – Dimension – 5m, size – 3.5 m, altitude – 5m