Orion invests in pollution control at US plant

Luxembourg – Orion Engineered Carbons has employed Danish Haldor Topsoe to install sustainable emissions control technology, SNOX, at its carbon black production plant in Ivanhoe, Louisiana.

The reinforcement materials supplier announced 13 April that this is the first time the technology, which removes SOx, NOx and dust particle from tail gases, is being used in a carbon black plant.

By combining Topsoe’s SNOX system the plant will reach the standard required by the US EPA, said Orion, which agreed late last year to invest $110-140 million, over six years, in pollution-control technology.

“Our extensive research determined that the Haldor Topsoe SNOX system… was the most dependable and cost-effective means of meeting or exceeding the requirements we now face,” said Jack Clem, CEO of Orion.

Orion also is planning a cogeneration facility at the Ivanhoe Plant to utilise energy from the production process to supply electricity for this new control technology and the surrounding communities.

Discussions with the local electricity utility are underway, Orion said.