Engineers at Vermeer have created a drum that is different from anything previously available on the market with its Series III duplex drum.

A good drum makes all the difference when it comes to the performance and reliability of grinders in the marketplace.

“The drum is the heart of any grinder, and it has to last,” says Jeff Bradley, Vermeer Recycling and Forestry product manager. The patented Series III duplex drum incorporates new technologies that make tree grinder maintenance convenient to help extend the wear life of your equipment.

Many of the early machine designs in the industry didn’t utilize a true rotor; it was more of a pin-and-plate design. Pin removal for hammer changes required high maintenance time with this design. If a business needed to replace a hammer in the middle of the rotor, a long pin had to be pulled through a series of discs and maybe two or three hammers. This increased the potential of creating out-of-balance issues while performing this task.

To avoid this, some manufacturers moved to a drum design. Hammers often were welded to the surface of the drum, however, the difficulty with welding hard materials made replacement and repairs more difficult and time-consuming.

Vermeer streamlines grinder maintenance with new design

Vermeer engineers constantly refine and improve products based on customer feedback. They addressed this drum design challenge and created a drum different from anything previously available - the Series III duplex drum. Now a featured component of Vermeer horizontal grinders and tub grinders, the Series III duplex drum is designed with reversible hammers and cutter tips. These innovations minimize maintenance time and ease replacement by eliminating the need to weld on hammers.

“To be hard you must have a lot of carbon, and when you have a lot of carbon you cannot weld it easily,” says Keith Roozeboom, engineer for the Recycling and Forestry Project. “We wanted to have something very robust, but not so difficult to replace, change or fix. What it comes down to is the through hammer design, which is different from anything that has previously been in the industry.”

The Series III duplex drum also features an improved hammer retention design over its predecessor that holds the hammers secure. A rounded hole in the drum to hold the hammer minimizes stress points in the drum versus the previous rectangular hole, preventing movement that could lead to wear.

Balance is critical on grinder drums. Consider that the drum on a Vermeer grinder can weigh 3,500 to 10,000 pounds, and when it’s spinning, it requires precise balance. As the drums wear, they need rebalancing. Being able to bolt weight onto the rotor end plate versus having to weld on pieces of metal eases the task.

Learn more about the Vermeer duplex drum

To hear more about the history of the duplex drum, watch this short documentary featuring Bradley and Roozeboom. They explain innovations made to the duplex drum with each series and share details about how the Vermeer duplex drum has transformed tree grinder maintenance for customers.

If you are ready to see how Vermeer grinders can make a difference for an operation, contact a local dealer to learn more or click here.

Montauk Renewables says it can increase gas output at the Amsterdam, Ohio, site by 40 percent.

Pittsburgh-based Montauk Renewables Inc. has announced plans to construct a second what it calls renewable natural gas (RNG) processing facility at its Apex landfill gas project in Amsterdam, Ohio.

The planned project at the landfill, operated by New Jersey-based Interstate Waste Services, is being driven by projections in biogas feedstock availability from the host landfill over the next 12 to 18 months, Montauk says.

The landfill gas technology firm is targeting an approximate 40 percent increase in RNG processing capacity with the addition of the second facility. It is expected to add up to 2,100 metric million British thermal units (MMBtu) per day of production capacity and expand the infrastructure for the conversion of landfill gas to RNG.

The project is expected to be completed in 2024, based on currently forecasted biogas feedstock volumes that are anticipated to be available from the host landfill at the time of commissioning, Montauk says.

“Montauk is excited to announce this significant expansion to our current production capacity at the Apex Amsterdam, Ohio site,” Montauk CEO Sean McClain says. “A critical component to our development strategy includes the ability to add capacity to complement the growth endeavors of our host business partners.”

The company currently expects the capital investment to range between $25 million and $30 million in total project costs during the next 12 to 18 months, starting in the fourth quarter.

Attendees will hear from two keynote speakers, choose between four breakout sessions, and participate in a vendor show, award luncheon and networking opportunities.

The Nebraska Recycling Council (NRC), Lincoln, Nebraska, is hosting its annual fall conference and award luncheon in-person on Thursday, Sept. 15th at the Graduate in Lincoln, Nebraska. 

According to a news release from the NRC, attendees will hear from two keynote speakers and choose between four breakout sessions. They will also participate in a vendor show, award luncheon and networking opportunities. The conference hits on relevant topics in resource recovery for municipalities, businesses and for rural and urban recycling programs. Featured sessions include best practices on supporting recycling programs in changing recycling markets, targeting materials not traditionally recycled, an update on composting in Nebraska and a focus on local companies sharing their perspective on environmentally conscious business models.  

The keynote speakers are Bob Gedert, president of the National Recycling Coalition and Steve Alexander, president of Resource Recycling and the Association of Plastic Recyclers. 

“We are thrilled to host our conference in-person, gathering recycling industry professionals from across our state to talk about current issues,” says Haley Nolde, NRC executive director. “We would also like to extend our gratitude to all of our conference sponsors and vendors for their support.”  

To learn more about the NRC fall conference, click here. 

Joseph Brajevich will oversee compliance and overall growth strategies concerning government contracts in his new role as executive vice president of governmental strategies.

Athens Services, City of Industry, California, has named Joseph Brajevich as executive vice president of governmental strategies.

Brajevich comes to the company from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), where he was general counsel for the nation’s largest municipal utility and led a staff of 38 attorneys in various specialties. His responsibilities included legal strategies regarding renewable and alternative energy, litigation, complex regulatory issues, environmental matters and water supply and distribution issues.

He has an extensive legal background with an emphasis on government affairs, regulatory affairs and environmental policy.

Brajevich previously was a partner with the law firm Glaser Weil, Los Angeles, in their government and regulatory affairs practice group. He also has served as assistant general counsel for LADWP, deputy city attorney at the Port of Los Angeles and outside counsel for the Alameda Corridor Transportation Authority. In 2020, he was recognized by the Los Angeles Business Journal as Government General Counsel of the Year. He graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles, with a degree in political science and earned his law degree from Loyola Law School.

“Joseph has an exceptional grasp of the law and solid experience dealing with some of the largest and most complex environmental issues facing Southern California,” says Gary Clifford, executive vice president of government affairs for Athens Services. “We welcome his expertise as Athens moves forward as an environmental leader in the region.”

In his new position at Athens Services, Brajevich will oversee government contract compliance and overall growth strategies concerning government contracts.

“I am excited about participating in a dynamic company that is at the forefront of the industry,” Brajevich says, adding that he was attracted by the opportunity to work for a business that appreciates family values and the relations fostered with communities.

The proposed regulation would increase transparency around releases of the chemicals and help hold polluters accountable for cleaning up PFAS contamination.

The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to designate two per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), called perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), including their salts and structural isomers, as hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), also known as Superfund.  

According to the EPA, PFOAs and PFOS are some of the most widely used PFAS in the country. This proposed rulemaking would increase transparency around releases of these chemicals and help to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up their contamination.  

Related articles: Navigating new norms | NWRA, SWANA seek relief from CERCLA liability for PFAS at landfills

The rulemaking would require entities to immediately report releases of PFOA and PFOS that meet or exceed the reportable quantity to the National Response Center, state or Tribal emergency response commission, and the local or Tribal emergency planning committee (local emergency responders).  

The proposal has raised concerns with The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA), Silver Spring, Maryland. SWANA says it is troubled by the potential impacts of the EPA’s proposal.  

“SWANA is very concerned that EPA designating PFAS compounds as hazardous substances under Superfund will have substantial impacts on landfills,” says David Biderman, SWANA’s executive director and CEO. “It will cost billions of dollars that will be passed on to ratepayers and will likely have widespread unintended consequences, including deterring the cleanup of some sites in environmental justice communities. SWANA supports regulation that targets manufacturers and other companies that profited off of PFAS and will continue to work with EPA, Congress, and the States to ensure passive receivers like landfills are not unfairly put on the hook.”   

Right now, the proposal is being drafted by the EPA. Once published, the EPA will open public comment on the proposal for 60 days following publication in the Federal Register. The proposal is expected to go live in the next few weeks, according to the EPA.