Clairton Coke Works progress detailed
By JEFF STITT
jstitt@yourmvi.com
Due to public concern, U.S. Steel issued a report over the weekend detailing repairs and mitigation efforts that have been completed at Clairton Coke Works and explaining which repairs are planned for the remainder of this week.
The Allegheny County Health Department has been cautioning residents of the Mon Valley, especially those with asthma, bronchitis or emphysema, along with children and the elderly, to limit their outdoor activity due to intermittent exceedances of the federal standard for hourly sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions from the plant.
Sulfur dioxide is a colorless gas with a strong odor similar to a just-struck match, and is a respiratory irritant. Concentrations over the federal standard for hourly SO2 emissions (.075 particles per minute) can affect breathing and may aggravate existing respiratory and cardiovascular disease, according to ACHD.
The emissions exceedances come as a result of a Christmas Eve fire at the plant that damaged two gas dispatcher stations.
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