AFS Corporate Member AB&I Foundry (Oakland, California), which makes cast iron pipe and fittings for the plumbing industry, received positive news from California Air Resources Board (CARB) report July 10. Detailing the agency’s sampling and testing procedures of emissions created from AB&I's casting process, the report confirms AB&I's efforts to reduce emissions are working. 

“The study examined an array of substances used in AB&I's casting process finding levels below established thresholds for health and odor impacts," said Michael Lowe, general manager of AB&I Foundry. An odor threshold is an airborne concentration at which the human sense of smell can detect a chemical. "While there are remaining challenges with identifying episodic odor events in our area,” he continued, “we are pleased that the report reflects the successful hard work by AB&I's environmental team  to protect public health and capture emissions through safeguards installed in the metals casting process.

In full cooperation with CARB, AB&I worked with an internationally recognized air quality firm, Eastern Research Group (ERG), to sample the air in and around AB&I in 2019. Lowe said while recent findings are encouraging, the company will continue investing in facility improvements to build on its progress.

"The company is committed to continuing our engagement with the community and providing the utmost transparency so that we together can work to match odors with their sources,” Lowe added. “We believe that stakeholders must understand not only where, but also how such odors can escape into an area and also what sources can cause odor episodes."

In a company statement, AB&I said it takes its “responsibility of being good stewards of the environment seriously and strives to help improve the quality of life overall in East Oakland.”