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Air regs fry restaurant owners
Creep, creep, creep. Here they come again — the government. Specifically, this time, it’s the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District circling restaurant charbroilers. On Thursday, the board will consider amending an existing rule to bring more restaurants into its regulatory fold. Right now, the rule affects only restaurants using “chain-driven” charbroilers, which, essentially, move meat through a tunnel of flame and are used by larger fast-food joints. The amendment being looked at would include “under-fire” charbroilers. These are used by smaller restaurants and, according to the San Joaquin air district staff report, make up 72 percent of all commercial cooking emissions in the district. Wow, that must be a really big problem. Hard to say, actually. Staff doesn’t know how many restaurants are cooking this way and so has no way to form a baseline emission inventory. Well, these charbroil emissions must be some toxic stuff then, right? Nah, not really. At least not as far as the district knows as there’s never been any toxic studies done on this type of exhaust. But the emissions do contain particulate matter, tiny bits of dust and soot, and as that’s the current boogey man being chased to heck and gone by federal and state agencies, by all means, get out the regulatory noose and find a tree, boys! Here’s my oft-repeated rap on particulate matter: some studies have shown particulate matter, specifically PM 2.5, is associated with premature deaths. The authors of those studies, however, have never allowed their data to be independently examined and their results have never been replicated. Other studies have found little to no relationship between premature death and exposure to PM 2.5, particularly here in California. To me, the scientific jury is out on the deadly effects of PM 2.5. Even if you believe PM 2.5 is knocking us all off in droves, however, this pending charbroiler rule is ludicrous and being pushed with unnecessary haste. At this point, it would only affect restaurants that cook 800 pounds of meat a week or more. That’s a lot of meat. So, the truly small guys are exempt, as long as they register their charbroilers and keep extensive records to prove they’re under the limit. Believe me, though, it’s only a matter of time before that limit drops to 600 pounds, then 400 and so on. (Deep fryers, beware, you could be next!) And anyone building a new restaurant with a charbroiler, regardless of how much meat you’re planning to cook, will be under the new rule. In doing its reports, the district estimated it could cost between $30,000 and $100,000 for under-fire charbroil operations to retrofit using any number of devices from filters to scrubbers to more sophisticated systems. Over time, the district concluded, that would work out to just a few thousand dollars a year. Wrong, Skip Slayton, owner of Jake’s Tex Mex told me. First of all, he said the lowest cost option recommended by the district, a HEPA filter that clears out anything down to six microns, can’t be used without a front-end system to extract grease otherwise it’d be plugged up and useless within a day. Any one of the systems would require customization, which adds to the cost, upkeep and cleaning, another cost, repairs, more costs, and potential upgrades, cha ching, cha ching. Perhaps most importantly, no one knows what the standard is they’re supposed to be shooting for, Slayton said. As in, how much PM 2.5 comes out of your chimney now and how much should come out after you retrofit? “The district says it has a test, but nothing’s concrete as to what it is or how it’s applied,” he said. “They don’t have it down anywhere about how you pass or fail.” Yup, that’s regulation California style, all right. The district’s report says the rule amendment will remove between .26 and 2.6 tons of particulate matter per day from the air once all affected restaurants come into compliance by the 2014 deadline. Doesn’t sound like a lot to me, especially when you consider the upheaval it will cause small businesses. It also seems like another rush to regulation when the marketplace is already headed toward lower emissions on its own. The one good thing about Slayton’s involvement so far, he said, is he’s discovered a lot of really interesting hood/emissions/grease systems being made that weren’t even discussed by the air board. “I don’t disagree with the need for clean air,” he said. “I just want more empirical studies so we can make intelligent choices.” That’s crazy talk.
ATTENDING THE MEETING Thursday, 9 a.m.
22 comments from 11 users
1
posted by
theColorNine
on Jun 16, 2009 at 06:42 PM
You know what's eventually coming, don't you? We already can't use our fireplaces in the winter. Next, we won't be able to use our grills in the summer.
posted by
maybelline
on Jun 16, 2009 at 07:00 PM
I was thinking the same thing, ColorNine. Will charcoal be illegal in this valley. How on earth can this law be enforced when so many of the existing laws aren't? Lois, do you know what the fine would be for violations? It may be worth just paying the fine. Can everyone say "Payola"? posted by
FloridaStateGrad
on Jun 16, 2009 at 08:41 PM
Hogwash! They should be spending their time and energy going after real polluters. posted by
Infowar
on Jun 16, 2009 at 09:12 PM
It's all about control. Our country is fast becoming a hardcore Orwellian style dictatorship posted by
cembad
on Jun 16, 2009 at 10:52 PM
Many of the points being made are valid. Cost versus benefit both to the environment / people's quality of life, public health / earning a living putting food on the table, healthy vibrant economy driven by industrious Americans / everyone working for big brother. Having been a professional air quality consultant for 20 years and a grandfather of 6, I know EVERY little bit helps. I work with industry daily to constantly improve processes and efficiency, keep Americans working AND protect the environment. As a small business owner I see this as another opportunity for American ingenuity to prevail. To come up with a cost effective means of addressing our life-style impact to our environment, public health and the earth we are leaving future generations. I see this as another opportunity for a better tomorrow as long as common sense can prevail. posted by
Infowar
on Jun 17, 2009 at 08:03 AM
Cembad Damn you bought the propaganda....big time. posted by
VirgilAnderson
on Jun 17, 2009 at 08:10 AM
Aw, Infowar, you don't eat fast food, do you? --virgil posted by
VirgilAnderson
on Jun 17, 2009 at 08:13 AM
"They should be spending their time and energy going after real polluters. "
What ... you mean like, commercial traffic, SUV's and petroleum production ? --virgil posted by
msjenny
on Jun 17, 2009 at 08:18 AM
SUV not my SUV don't take it away from me, you will have to pry the keys out of my hand,,,,,,,I am addicted got to have it posted by
VirgilAnderson
on Jun 17, 2009 at 08:26 AM
Ms. Jenny, You can have that suv converted to use vegetable oil as fuel. http://www.youtube.com/watc... --virgil posted by
msjenny
on Jun 17, 2009 at 08:33 AM
Virgil: That's alot of hard work, I just want to keep it cause its paid for....lol posted by
VirgilAnderson
on Jun 17, 2009 at 08:38 AM
Ms. Jenny, I have to say that when you get behind one of those converted vehicles it smells just like a McDonald's . The technology is fascinating; and the conversions, they take only an afternoon. --virgil posted by
notatroll
on Jun 17, 2009 at 09:14 AM
It seems to me that just one itty bitty little old California wildfire generates way more particulate matter than area restaurants could ever produce. Maybe the SJVAPCD should lend their support to efforts directed at limiting the occurrences of these wildfires. They could support programs to help homeowners learn about adequate landscaping clearances or fire resistant construction methods. The SJVAPCD could also voice their support of our fire departments. It seems ill advised to be spending limited resources nitpicking about these small unknown pollution quantities when wildfires happen every year and produce so very much air pollution while also devastating the vegetation that our planet needs to help cleanse our damaged air. posted by
adampayne
on Jun 17, 2009 at 09:14 AM
I would be more in favor of regulations like these if every effort was being made to rein in the tremendous amounts of pollution at the huge CAFOs (Concentrated Animal Feed Operations) that now fill this valley. The numbers of small dairy farms continues to shrink while this frightening new operation based on the "success" of the livestock slaughter industry continues to grow. To see Tulare now as the dairy capital of America, and to see the conditions most of these cows live their lives in is really disouraging. There is precious little if any grass for these creatures, who just stand in piles of dirt and excrement every day. Big operations have crushed the small dairies, and have created dust and waste pollutants that fill this bowl. The other very real danger in seeing this type of dairy operation is the runoff of waste into the waterways that irrigate our other vital agricultural crops. The amount of recalls of produce grown in the Central Valley has increased dramatically over the past decade. Do you find it a coincidence that these recalls have occurred after the introduction of the CAFO dairy concept here? The simple fact for Kern County is that the air is really really bad. It is measured by all accounts as being one of the worst air polluted regions in the nation. Are we number one, or number two? When the air is this bad does it matter? The fact is we need to change the way we do things, and people rarely change their habits on their own accord. We still fill the air with pesticides down here. I still see more trucks, and their siblings, with lower emission control standards driving the roadways than the enviro-friendly vehicles by far in this neck of the woods. I'm sure we'll all party down for huge fireworks displays all over town, and grills will be all fired up all summer long charring all that CAFO livestock to chew down with corn and wheat by-products. You can rail against mean big-old government all you want, but lack of regulation got this place into the mess it currently finds itself. Making sure people do their utmost to change their pollution habits is not a bad thing.
posted by
msjenny
on Jun 17, 2009 at 09:31 AM
Smells like Mcdonald,,I'll probably have a line behind me, waiting to order. Other than that is was interesting how it works. posted by
VirgilAnderson
on Jun 17, 2009 at 10:13 AM
or, just a pavlovian response from your fellow commuters, Ms Jenny. They won't know, but you will, why the sudden urge for an egg mcmuffin. <] : ) --virgil posted by
joe0403
on Jun 17, 2009 at 10:58 AM
Cembad; What flavor is that kool-aide? posted by
VirgilAnderson
on Jun 17, 2009 at 11:02 AM
Infor war told me the other day that the only kind he likes is the berry flavor. --virgil posted by
VirgilAnderson
on Jun 17, 2009 at 11:05 AM
He also said that instead of two (2) cups of sugar to use 2 1/2 ( two cups and one half ) ... --virgil posted by
donmason
on Jun 17, 2009 at 05:00 PM
"Having been a professional air quality consultant for 20 years and a grandfather of 6, I know EVERY little bit helps. I work with industry daily to constantly improve processes and efficiency, keep Americans working AND protect the environment." Cembad didn't drink the Koolaid. He laughs all the way to the bank as the air quality regulators go after small business.
"In doing its reports, the district estimated it could cost between $30,000 and $100,000 for under-fire charbroil operations to retrofit using any number of devices from filters to scrubbers to more sophisticated systems. Over time, the district concluded, that would work out to just a few thousand dollars a year." Just a few thousand per year? I love it when those who live off of tax payer money make business recommendations. Here's a better idea. If it's"only" a few thousand per year, which would come directly out of the business owners salary, let's just lower the salaries of the state employed regulators to pay for this equipment.
After all, as the bureaucrat said, it's "only" a few thousand per year. Surely a "dedicated" public servant would be glad to sacrifice "only" a few thousand per year from their personal bottom line for the good of the public.. posted by
msjenny
on Jun 18, 2009 at 08:52 AM
Virgil; You are too funny posted by
cembad
on Jun 18, 2009 at 11:41 PM
What can I say? I got tired of the up/down cycle of the oil industry and had done my share of farm work. I decided that this "environmental stuff" [via Clean Air Act of 1970] would be around for a while. 20 years later I'm 53, semi-retired, live in the forest, have a hand-full of clients & work more than I want to. But, like I said, every little bit helps it's important that we all do, all we can, any way we can. When you've been blessed it's important to give back. Hey people! We're on this satellite hurtling toward our future together trudging the road to happy destiny.......................................... ................................................. .............................k-
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