Background
Carlton Forge Works (CFW) manufactures forged high-temperature alloy rings for aerospace, gas turbine, industrial, commercial and nuclear industries, using principal alloy metals such as nickel, titanium, aluminum, cobalt, zirconium, niobium, and iron, as well as other high temperature metals with special properties. The company was founded in 1929 and has operated as a subsidiary of Precision Castparts Corp. since September 2009. Located at 7743 E Adams Street in a mixed residential/industrial area of Paramount CA, CFW is surrounded by public areas and private residences.
CFW is subject to South Coast AQMD rules and permit conditions to ensure that it operates in compliance with air pollution requirements. As a Title V source, CFW is required to submit semi-annual monitoring reports and annual compliance certifications to South Coast AQMD, and to notify the agency of any deviations in their operation that would lead to the release of excess emissions. NOx emissions produced by the operation of 63 furnaces at the facility are also reported to South Coast AQMD under its cap-and-trade emissions reduction program, RECLAIM, and comprehensive emissions audits of CFW are performed at least annually to verify compliance with all applicable requirements.
In 2012-13, public complaints alleging CFW as the source of a burning metallic odor prompted ongoing complaint investigations and extensive odor surveillance activities in the area. In August 2013, South Coast AQMD began field measurements near CFW to rule out other possible sources and further investigate possible health effects from exposure to gaseous and particulate pollutants emitted by CFW operations, including metal grinding performed in a large grinding room with 25 grinding booths, each equipped with a handheld air grinder or a swing grinder and vented to one of three baghouses for particulate control. Because the major activities at CFW are forging, abrasive blasting, coating, and grinding, particular attention was given to the monitoring of the metallic components of particle emissions to better characterize the emissions and determine ambient levels of potentially harmful pollutants off-site and in the community.
Air Monitoring Results and Data Reports
Preliminary air and materials measurements and reports conducted in 2013 and 2014, including continued monitoring conducted through 2017, can be found below:
-
Air Monitoring at CFW (PDF) – January 23, 2014
Provides a summary of air sampling, material sampling, and South Coast AQMD actions and CFW voluntary actions. Includes air sampling results from August 2013 to December 2013.
-
Air Monitoring at CFW (PDF) – December 2014
Provides a summary of air sampling, material sampling, and South Coast AQMD actions and CFW voluntary actions. Includes air sampling results from August 2013 to September 2014.
-
Air Monitoring Results for Site #2 (PDF) August 2013 – March 2017
Multi-metals air monitoring results for Site #2 on Vermont Avenue that began in 2013.
-
Air Monitoring Results for Site #3 (PDF) August 2013 – March 2017
Multi-metals air monitoring results for Site #3 on California Avenue that began in 2013.
Rulemaking Activities Affecting CFW
In January 2014 South Coast AQMD held a Town Hall Meeting in the city of Paramount to present findings to date from air monitoring activities and to discuss plans for development of a new rule designed to control emissions from metal forging and grinding operations.
South Coast AQMD staff initiated rulemaking in 2014 by further investigating and researching the metal forging industry. Rule development efforts included site visits, additional sampling, review of monitoring data, and research on emission controls for this industry, including review of information voluntary emission reduction measures implemented by CFW to control emissions from their metal grinding operations. Based on information learned through rule development, the South Coast AQMD staff determined that controls were necessary to reduce metal grinding emissions from CFW and other metal forging facilities and adopted Rule 1430 Control of Emissions from Metal Grinding Operations at Metal Facilities (PDF) – Control of Emissions from Metal Grinding Operations at Metal Forging Facilities on March 3, 2017.
Related Information
News Releases