Agrium plant has lower emissions in its sights

Redwater, Alberta-Agrium Inc. will be doing the “neighborly thing” starting sometime next year by voluntarily going to a lower emissions catalyst for the two sulfuric acid plants at its Redwater nitrogen and phosphate-based fertilizer plant here. Plant Manager Ted Sawchuk said the changeover is anticipated in 2012 and 2014 from the normal catalyst, and will reduce SO2 emissions at the plant by 215 metric tons a year from the current 690 metric tons. Sawchuk said that for the larger acid system it will mean a reduction to 50 percent, and the smaller system will be around 27 to 28 percent. Although Redwater operates below its license limit, the lower emissions had been included in plans for improvements that had been provided to local authorities. Helping clean up the air has also been an Agrium corporate objective. “The first unit is planned with our 2012 turnout,” he said. “We’ll order it this year and possibly do it sooner.” Agrium acquired Redwater in its merger in December 1996 with Viridian Inc., which operated plants at Fort Saskatchewan and Redwater.