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LOGO: Journal of Cotton Science

 

Characterization of Cotton Gin Particulate Matter Emissions—Project Plan

Authors: Michael D. Buser, Derek P. Whitelock, J. Clif Boykin, and Gregory A. Holt
Pages: 105-116
Engineering and Ginning

In 2006, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency implemented a more stringent standard for particulate matter with an effective diameter less than or equal to 2.5 microns (PM2.5). The implementation timeline for this standard will vary by state/district regulatory agency. For example, the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District has proposed to include cotton gins in their PM2.5 State Implementation Plan under the assumption that the PM2.5 emissions from cotton gins are significant enough to warrant further study and possibly additional control measures above and beyond the current mandate to install enhanced "1D-3D" cyclones on all emission points. All cotton gins across the cotton belt will eventually be impacted by this standard. The primary issues surrounding particulate matter regulations for the cotton ginning industry are: 1) limited or lack of PM2.5 data; 2) potential overprediction of current dispersion models; and 3) effects of sampler errors. The cotton ginners’ associations across the cotton belt, including the National, Texas, Southern, Southeastern, and California associations, have agreed that there is an urgent need to collect gin emission data to address these issues. In response to the gin association’s requests the project outlined in this paper was developed.