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OAR Box 1384 

Prepped by Charmelle Mathews 

Document Number: 

1J9S) ll-E-152 

Docket Number: 

A-94-52 

Printed 7/2/2008 8:42:10 AM Sheet 193 of 264 
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* MAY-13-9 8 WED 

From: 

Date: 

Contact: 

Company: 

1 TI T 3 6 £ 

12:4 6 GHMJ INC . 

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Contact Report 

Robert Jemison, Pacific Environmental Services, Inc. (PES) 

May. 11,1998 

Mr. Glenn Miller 

GHM, Inc. 

! 

m 21IS99 

EPA AIR DOCKET 

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Telephone Number: (717)366-3967 

Fax Number: (717)366-1706 

Contact Summary: 

Mr. Glenn Miller was contacted on behalf of the U.S. EPA to update information provided 

in the 1993 EPA Reinforced Plastic Composites Screening Survey submitted by GHM, Inc. for their 

facility located in Orwigsburg, Pennsylvania. In response to my questions Mr. Miller indicated the 

following: 

The facility produces storage tanks designed to contain water and fire-retardant foam. These 

tanks are installed on fire engines and emergency vehicles used by fire departments and airport 

personnel. 

The facility uses hand lay-up to apply an unfilled polyester resin in the fabrication of the 

storage tanks discussed above. The facility adds a vapor suppressant to the resin prior to its 

application using hand lay-up. The resin applied by hand lay-up contains approximately 40% HAP 

by weight. The only HAP initially present in the resin is styrene. No additional HAP is added to 

the resin during the fabrication process with the exception of small amounts of HAP that may (or 

may not) be present in initiators, promoters, and/or catalysts added to the resin. 

The facility uses spray lay-up to apply an unfilled polyester resin in the fabrication of the 

storage tanks discussed above. The facility uses flow coaters to apply approximately 95% of the 

resin applied using spray lay-up. The remaining 5% of the resin applied using spray lay-up is 

applied using a spray gun which atomizes the resin. The facility adds a vapor suppressant to the 

resin prior to its application using spray lay-up. The resin applied using spray lay-up contains 

approximately 40% HAP by weight. The only HAP initially present in the resin is styrene. No 

additional HAP is added to the resin during the fabrication process with the exception of small 

amounts of HAP Uiat may (or may not) be present in initiators, promoters, and/or catalysts added 

to the resin. 

The facility has discontinued me use of all closed molding fabrication techniques. 

INFORMATION IS ACCURATE^ s$£ . - J/ J/£#L x//3/fo 

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Mav-i7-4f l LIED 1 2 !4 T GHM ; INC . 

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Contact Report 

Mr. Glenn Miller - GHM, Inc. 

May 11,1998 

Page Two 

The facility uses atomized spray lay-up to apply four pigmented production gel coats in the 

fabrication of the storage tanks discussed above. The pigmented production gel coat primarily used 

by the facility is white, with gold, red, and grey gel coats only being used on an occasional basis. 

The facility also applies two pigmented tooling gel coats using atomized spray lay-up during the 

manufacture of molds. The amount of styrene and methyl methacrylate (MMA) present in each of 

th© production and tooling gel coats is shown in the table below. 

Type of 

Gel Coat 

Production 

Production 

Production 

Production 

Tooling 

Tooling 

Color of 

£d£fiaj 

White 

Gold 

Red 

Grey 

Tangerine 

Black 

Styrene 

32.67% 

20 - 50% 

20 - 50% 

20 - 50% 

36.85% 

36.84% 

MMA 

3.0% 

1-5% 

1-5% 

1-5% 

3.00% 

3.00% 

Total 

HAE 

35.67% 

Unknown 

Unknown 

Unknown 

39.85% 

39.84% 

No additional HAP is added to the gel coats during the fabrication process with the exception 

of small amounts of HAP that may (or may not) be present in initiators, promoters, and/or catalysts 

added to the gel coats. None of the gel coats contain a vapor suppressant. 

All of the resin mixing conducted at this facility is done inside 55 gallon drums by inserting 

the mixing shaft through the bunghole on the top of the 55 gallon drum. Resin mixing is conducted 

to eliminate any stratification of resin components which may have developed during storage of the 

resin. The facility does not actively (force) vent emissions from the 55 gallon drum by applying a 

vacuum to the drum. 

INFORMATION IS ACCURATE