ASARCO plans $100 million upgrade of Hayden smelter to meet new EPA sulfur dioxide emission limits
Asarco Smelter in Hayden
By James Hodl | Copper Area.com
Plans for a $110 million upgrade of the Hayden copper smelter that will bring the apparatus in compliance with new federal regulations concerning emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2) have been filed by owner ASARCO/Grupo Mexico with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ).
The rules issued by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) require that SO2 emissions from the smelter be reduced from 140 ppb (parts per billion) to 75 ppd during a 24-hour period. The Hayden smelter has until Oct. 3, 2018 to meet this standard.
Meeting the standard is important to keep the Hayden copper smelting plant operating and providing employment for residents of the Hayden/Winkleman area.
