How to comprehensively resolve the problem of dust at coal terminals

The problem of dust dispersion at coal terminals is currently the subject of active discussion, but much less is being said about how to solve the problem.

The last meeting of the Association of Marine Commercial Ports (ASOP) was devoted to questions of dust-suppression during coal handling. Apart from the stevedoring companies, participants also included producers of freight-handling equipment and representatives of Rosmorport., and specialists from Morstroytechnology took part in the meeting as experts in the sector.

Mortsroytechnology’s Technical Director, Vladimir Alexeevich Pogodin, spoke about the various dust-suppression technologies which are in use around the world, and which of these could be considered «best available technology».

«Best available technology» (BAT) is a list of economically viable technologies that enable a reduction in negative environmental impact. For these technologies to be implemented, a series of BAT registers have been put together which are used by regulatory bodies when they issue environmental protection permits. This is how it happens in Europe, at least: Russia is as yet only moving towards such a system of regulation, with the technologies to be selected and the development of registers still being discussed.

In Russia, a register has been compiled and approved for best available technology under the reference ITS 46-2017 “Reduction in the emissions of polluting substances and the discharge of polluting substances during storage and warehousing of goods (cargo). «The register includes BATs for coal storage facilities. But storing coal at a port brings its own specific challenges, and so by federal government directive №968p of 24 May 2018 the task has been assigned to extend the register with the section “Reduction in emissions during storing, handling and warehousing of coal at maritime ports».

Relying on its extensive experience in designing and engineering coal terminals, Morstroytechnology is participating in the discussion and collation of the BAT list.

V.A. Pogodin’s presentation «Updating ITS BAT-46 with sub-section «Reduction in emissions during storing, handling and warehousing of coal at maritime ports» can be found HERE.