ASPHALTopcs | Summer 2017 | VOL 30 | NO 2

Bap Update
by donn bernal
Update on the
BaP report module
As an owner of an asphalt plant, you are already well aware that OAPC has been working
diligently with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) to develop a
Technical Standard as it relates to benzo(α)pyrene (BaP) emissions.
Through this process, the MOECC has learned a lot
about our industry and the asphalt plant production
process. We, in turn, have a better understanding of the
direction that MOECC is taking as it relates to climate
change. Ontario wants to be a world leader in controlling
emissions, and BaP from asphalt plants is considered the
surrogate for all polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).
Although our plants produce hot mix asphalt using one
of two main methods, drum or batch, each plant is unique
in design and configuration, which it makes it difficult to
have a “one size fits all” Technical Standard. We are very
close to finalizing standards with the MOECC that are
considered fair for all stakeholders.
A final piece to this standard is a requirement to track
temperatures at certain intervals and report, as necessary,
these temperatures to the local MOECC district offices.
It was thought that this tracking might be quite
cumbersome especially to the asphalt plant operator.
Therefore, the BaP Subcommittee decided to provide a
module to automate this reporting process and remove
that responsibility from the asphalt plant operator.
In conjunction with a local asphalt plant software
developer and OAPC member, Aggressor Automation,
the subcommittee developed a standardized reporting
module that can be bolted onto any asphalt plant
and record temperatures and production tonnages at
specified intervals. These temperatures include those
at the bottom of the drag conveyor and those at the
asphalt cement tanks. The module then averages out
the temperatures for the day as well as having a rolling
average for the whole year. With this information, the
asphalt plant operator simply has to print a report in
the event of a visit from a district officer or at the request
from the local MOECC District Office.
We are currently at the trial stage, fine-tuning the
reporting module on a couple of plants that are under
the Technical Standards with more plants scheduled
to participate.
The intent is to make this module available to all OAPC
asphalt plant producers whether they are under the
Technical Standard or not. It is an excellent way to monitor
your facility for various production efficiencies, including
natural gas consumption. The cost of installing the
reporting module will vary depending on the asphalt
plant and its current configuration. In the future, your
asphalt plant manufacturer could also have this reporting
module available.
Providing transparency to the MOECC will help strengthen
our relationship with them. This reporting module will go
a long way to achieving that goal as well as simplifying the
process for all stakeholders.
Donn Bernal is General Manager at Yellowline Asphalt
Products Ltd.
SUMMER 2017 21