Sandusky-Clyde Energy Solutions, LLC new plant

The city of Clyde and the surrounding areas are going to have a new neighbor, and it will be located at 1357 McPherson Highway.
According to the EPA epa.ohio.gov/portals/47/nr/2011/february/ClydeEnergy.pdf permit it will "limit" the air emissions to 11.62 tons of carbon monoxide, 2.73 tons of nitrogen oxides and 0.28 tons of per year of volatile organic compounds.



Well lets take a look at what that means.

***According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry: Which can be found at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/    it states:

This fact sheet answers the most frequently asked health questions (FAQs) about nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide, For more information, call the ATSDR Information Center at 1-800-232-4636. This fact sheet is one in a series of summaries about hazardous substances and their health effects. It is important you understand this information because this substance may harm you. The effects of exposure to any hazardous substance depend on the dose, the duration, how you are exposed, personal traits and habits, and whether other chemicals are present.
 
 
How can nitrogen oxides affect my health?

•  Low levels of nitrogen oxides in the air can irritate your eyes, nose, throat, and lungs, possibly causing you to cough and experience shortness of breath, tiredness, and nausea    . 
• Exposure to low levels can also result in fluid build-up in the lungs 1 or 2 days after exposure.
• Breathing high levels of nitrogen oxides can cause rapid burning, spasms, and swelling of tissues in the throat and upper respiratory tract, reduced oxygenation of body tissues, a build-up of fluid in your lungs, and death.
• If you were to come into skin or eye contact with high concentrations of nitrogen oxide gases or nitrogen dioxide liquid, you would likely experience serious burns.
• We do not know if exposure to nitrogen oxides will result in reproductive effects in humans. 

How does nitrogen oxides affect children?

• Children would probably be affected by exposure to nitrogen oxides in the same ways as adults. But we do not know whether children differ from adults in their susceptibility to nitrogen oxides.
• Exposure of pregnant animals to nitrogen oxides has resulted in toxic effects in developing fetuses.
• Nitrogen oxides have also caused changes in the genetic material of animal cells. . But we do not know if exposure to nitrogen oxides might cause developmental effects in humans.

What happens to nitrogen oxides when they enter the environment?

• Nitrogen oxides are broken down rapidly in the atmosphere by reacting with other substances commonly found in the air. The reaction of nitrogen dioxide with chemicals produced by sunlight leads to the formation of nitric acid, which is a major constituent of acid rain. Nitrogen dioxide also reacts with sunlight, which leads to the formation of ozone and smog conditions in the air we breathe.
• Small amounts of nitrogen oxides may evaporate from water, but most of it will react with water and form nitric acid.
• When released to soil, small amounts of nitrogen oxides may evaporate into air. However, most of it will be converted to nitric acid or other compounds.
• Nitrogen oxides do not build up in the food chain.

How might I be exposed to nitrogen oxides?

• The general population is primarily exposed to nitrogen oxides by breathing in air. People who live near combustion sources such as coal burning power plants or areas with heavy motor vehicle use may be exposed to higher levels of nitrogen oxides.
• Households that burn a lot of wood or use kerosene heaters and gas stoves tend to have higher levels of nitrogen oxides in them when compared to houses without these appliances.
• Nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide are found in tobacco smoke so people who smoke or breathe in second-hand smoke may be exposed to nitrogen oxides.
• Workers employed in facilities that produce nitric acid or certain explosives like dynamite and trinitrotoluene (TNT), as well as workers involved in the welding of metals may breath in nitrogen oxides during their work.

How can families reduce the risk of exposure to nitrogen oxides?

• Families with indoor gas stoves, space heaters, or indoor cigarette smoke can minimize indoor exposure to nitrogen oxides by periodically allowing fresh outdoor air into the home. Farm families should not allow children to play near silos that contain silage.  

How likely are nitrogen oxides to cause cancer?

• The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), and the EPA have not classified nitrogen oxides for potential carcinogenicity.

Is there a medical test to show whether I've been exposed to nitrogen oxides?

• Specific tests for the presence of nitrogen oxides in blood or urine are not generally useful to the doctor. If a severe exposure has occurred, blood and urine analyses and other tests may show whether damage has been done to your respiratory airways. Some of these tests may be done at the doctor's office, others may require a clinic or hospital that have specialized equipment.

*** Now lets move onto carbon monoxide:

How can carbon monoxide affect my health?

• Exposure to high levels of carbon monoxide can be life-threatening. Carbon monoxide poisoning is the leading cause of death due to poisoning in the United States.
• Headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, blurred vision, confusion, chest pain, weakness, heart failure, difficulty breathing, seizures and coma have been reported in people inhaling carbon monoxide. People who have heart or lung disease are more vulnerable to the toxic effects of carbon monoxide.

How does carbon monoxide affect children?

• Breathing high levels of carbon monoxide during pregnancy can cause miscarriage. Breathing lower levels of carbon monoxide during pregnancy can lead to slower than normal mental development of your child.
• In animal studies, exposure to carbon monoxide during pregnancy had effects on birth weight, the heart, the central nervous system, and development.
• There is evidence that children who have asthma may be more vulnerable to respiratory effects associated with exposure to carbon monoxide.

What is carbon monoxide?

• Carbon monoxide is a colorless, nonirritating, odorless, tasteless gas that is found in both indoor and outdoor air. It is made when carbon fuel is not burned completely and is produced from both human-made and natural sources. The most important human-made source is from exhaust of automobiles.
• Carbon monoxide levels in indoor air vary depending on the presence of appliances such as kerosene and gas space heaters, furnaces, wood stoves, generators and other gasoline-powered equipment. Tobacco smoke also contributes to indoor air levels.
• Industry uses carbon monoxide to manufacture compounds such as acetic anhydride, polycarbonates, acetic acid and polyketone.

What happens to carbon monoxide when it enters the environment?

• Carbon monoxide mainly enters the environment from natural sources and from the burning of fuel oils.
• It stays in the air for about 2 months.
• It is broken down in air by reacting with other chemicals and is changed into carbon dioxide.
• It is broken down in soil by microorganisms into carbon dioxide.
• It does not build up in plants or in the tissues of animals.

How might I be exposed to carbon monoxide?

• Breathing in gas from improperly installed/filtered stoves, furnaces, heaters and generators.
• Breathing air containing automobile exhaust.
• Breathing air containing cigarette smoke.
• Working in industries that burn gas and coal, working in smoke-filled places, or working in places where there are high amounts of vehicular exhaust.

How can families reduce the risk of exposure to carbon monoxide?

• Make sure appliances that burn natural gasoline, kerosene, or other fuels are properly installed and vented.
• Have appliances routinely maintenanced.
• Always follow the manufacturer’s recommendations on installing and using these devices.
• Do not use portable propane heaters in enclosed indoor settings such as campers and tents.
• Do not let your car run idle for a long period of time in your garage.
• Carbon monoxide is a component of tobacco smoke. Avoid smoking in enclosed spaces like inside the home or car in order to limit exposure to children and other family members.
• Have carbon monoxide and smoke detectors installed in your home.

Is there a medical test to show whether I've been exposed to carbon monoxide?

• Medical devices called carbon monoxide-oximeters that are found in clinical laboratories or hospitals can estimate the level of carbon monoxide in blood by a simple test.