Today's Feature

No Complaints Filed.

A recent interview with representatives from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) indicates that although there have been several reports of odor detection reported in the Mornin’ Mail in the last week, no official complaints have been filed with the DNR since June 13th.

Mark Rader of DNR said that the last report filed was on June 13, and was attributed to trucks shipping waste material for offsite disposal. It was reported that Renewable Environmental Solutions (RES) was not in operation at the time of these detected odors.

The majority of complaints filed on the 13th, according to Rader, were near the location of Kendricktown, north of Carthage. No complaints since July of 2005 have been deemed by DNR to constitute an odor violation.

Rader also made reference to a clause in the odor enforcement procedure known as the startup/shutdown/malfunction clause. When an odor emission is detected, and a citation filed it is sent to the DNR enforcement agency in Jefferson City, MO. The company or companies found to be in violation may at that point or earlier report a startup/shutdown/malfunction explanation for the emissions, and the enforcement agency may make the decision to rescind or overturn the citation. Rader explained that many processing facilities have been known to experience technical difficulties when starting or stopping operation. When operations are in full production, the equipment that lessens odors is better able to function properly.

Prior to the complaints received on June 13 the next previous complaint was received by DNR at the first of June

Carthage City Administrator David Mouton at a recent Council meeting urged the public to continue filing reports with the DNR when odors are detected. Mouton said he felt that RES had proved itself capable of operating without odor emission, but in order to help resolve any plant difficulties it is important for citizens to continue noting and reporting odor emissions to the DNR.

Stench Report:
Friday,
6/23/06

Stench Detected Friday Morning around Carthage Square

‘Course, as a friend a mine used to like ta say, "Who gives a rip about apathy?"

There is little doubt that there are things worth stickin’ your neck out for, but mostly it’s committin’ the time and energy necessary to get something worthwhile accomplished. The other thing necessary is to utilize all the tools available to complete the task. Not goin’ at it half hearted. It’s easy to sit around and jabber about somethin’, ‘nother thing to actually get off the porch and get after it.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin.’

Summer Is Best Time for Chimney Inspection

The best time of year to schedule a chimney inspection is right now, during the height of summer. Why? Because when the first leaves of autumn begin to fall and homeowners start to fill up the inspector’s voicemail with requests, you won’t have to worry about the state of your fireplace and chimney, which will give you plenty of time to fret over the dozens of other tasks you put off all year. We all procrastinate, but your chimney is a safety issue you shouldn’t neglect.

If you use your fireplace at all, a once-a-year inspection is very important. You don’t want to light up a nice, romantic fire on a snowy evening only to find that a bird made its nest in the chimney, and now smoke is pouring back into the living room. Or worse, risking a fire or carbon monoxide poisoning due to improper maintenance.

Creosote -- a black, tarry substance created when combustible materials are burned -- builds up on the inside of the chimney flue. This substance is highly flammable, and a single spark can ignite it. If enough creosote is built up, it will burn long and extremely hot, severely damage the chimney, and can spread to the rest of the house. It’s not unheard of for a chimney fire to occur without the homeowner realizing it -- until a second chimney fire ignites, and the damage caused by the first one allows the heat and flames to reach the house’s wooden structure.

A damaged or improperly vented wood burning system (fireplace, stove or pellet stove) can lead to carbon monoxide entering the living areas of the house. This is a potentially deadly situation, so it’s critical to ensure that the system is working in top shape before lighting the first fire of the season.

The chimney professional will perform a visual inspection of the fireplace, flue and outside of the chimney -- anywhere a flashlight can reach. If the chimney pro sees something amiss he will do a more thorough inspection, probably feeding a video camera into the flue for a closer look. If cleaning or repairs need to be done, he will recommend it.

Ask for a written estimate before any repairs begin. In addition, make sure the inspector is a licensed (if required by the municipality, county or state) professional. A certification by the CSIA (Chimney Safety Institute of America) is a very good sign; find certified contractors in your area by visiting its Web site at www.csia.org.