DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
PUBLIC NOTICE
SPECIAL ORDER BY CONSENT FOR
EGGER WOOD PRODUCTS, LLC
LINWOOD, DAVIDSON COUNTY
Egger Wood Products, LLC (Egger) manufactures wood-based product lines including laminates, particleboard, and thermally fused laminate at its Lexington Particleboard Plant located at 300 Egger Parkway in Linwood, North Carolina. This facility operates under Air Quality Permit Number 10565R05, which allows for the operation of a core layer dryer, a surface layer dryer, an engineered wood panel board press, and star coolers, which are used to dry wood chips and press and cool particleboard panels. The facility is subject multiple federal regulations including 40 CFR 63, Subpart DDDD - National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Plywood and Composite Wood Products.
The Division of Air Quality (DAQ) documented several violations associated with the initial performance testing of the dryers, press, and star coolers. Some of these violations were resolved through retesting the emission sources. However, the company has determined that it cannot meet the NESHAP emission standard for total hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) from the star coolers without modifications to the facility.
Egger has agreed to a Special Order by Consent (SOC) with the North Carolina Environmental Management Commission (NCEMC) to resolve ongoing compliance issues related to the initial performance testing and the NESHAP emission standards. The company is committing to install a wood products enclosure meeting the design requirements of 40 CFR § 63.2292 around the star coolers and to route the process exhaust from the enclosure to a combustion unit meeting the definition in 40 CFR § 63.2292. Per the terms of the SOC, the company must install the wood products enclosure within twelve months of receiving a permit from DAQ allowing for the construction and operation of the new enclosure and associated ductwork which will result in an overall reduction of HAP emissions.
The SOC includes an upfront penalty and stipulated penalties for missing compliance deadlines. The SOC will expire upon the company’s submission of a written report certifying that the facility has achieved compliance with the NESHAP emission limits, or on June 30, 2025, whichever comes first.
This proposed SOC may be viewed on the Division of Air Quality (DAQ) website: http://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/air-quality/air-quality-enforcement/special-orders-by-consent
A copy of the proposed SOC may also be viewed at the following locations and additional information concerning the proposed SOC may be obtained by contacting:
Ray Stewart, Regional Air Quality Supervisor
NC DEQ – Winston-Salem Regional Office
450 West Hanes Mill Road, Suite 300
Winston Salem, North Carolina 27105
Phone 336-776-9637
or
Samir Parekh, Stationary Source Compliance Supervisor
NC DEQ-DAQ Raleigh Central Office
217 West Jones Street
1641 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1641
Phone 919-707-8409
Interested persons are invited to review the proposed SOC and to submit written comments by email to daq.publiccomments@deq.nc.gov with “Egger SOC” in the subject line or by mail to one of the above addresses. Any person requesting a public hearing regarding the proposed SOC should submit a written request with a statement supporting the need for such a hearing. The request for hearing should be sent to the DAQ at one of the two above addresses or at the above email address.
All public comments and requests for hearing must be received by 5 p.m. on Saturday, February 3, 2024. The Director of the DAQ shall take final action on behalf of the NCEMC on Consent Orders within 60 days of the initial public notice.