BLADEN COUNTY, N.C.- Smithfields pork processing plant in Bladen County is closed indefinitely after company officials say a water heater tank fell over and severed an ammonia line at the massive hog slaughtering plant Tuesday.

The incident forced around 2,400 employees to evacuate and sent several people to area hospitals to be evaluated.

The facility is located on Highway 87 North in Tar Heel. During the evacuation, workers were transported to Tar Heel Middle School where they were given food and water. The employees have since boarded buses to return to the plant and collect personal items.

"At first I did not know what it was, I thought it was hot water. [Then I smelled] that ammonia. And I have asthma so it was really kind of scary," said worker Timothy Hayes.

Plant workers said the incident was chaotic when it first began.

"With people running out of the plant, we did not know what was going on at first. Until later on we got to the plant and we smelled ammonia. They had everybody outside and were talking about going down to the clinic," said Devin Autry, plant worker.

Emergency crews from in and outside the surrounding area brought in resources to help.

"We made contact with local Hazmat officials and worked with folks from Duplin County, Fayetteville from Tar Heel all came to assist to make sure there was no particular problem for the entire community, said Dennis Pittman, with Smithfield corporate communications.

This is not the first time there's been an ammonia leak at this plant. But officials say people should not be concerned about safety.

Watch an interview with Dennis Pittman, of Smithfield corporate communications

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Workers Return to Smithfield Packing Plant Following Evacuation

New Delhi, June 12:

The Solar Thermal Federation of India (STFI), an industry body representing the solar water heater manufacturers, on Thursday appealed to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy to release the unpaid subsidies of around 350 crore.

About 50 crore of subsidy remains unpaid for the year 2012-13 and 300 crore for 2013-14. Going by the market growth, the subsidy liability will grow additionally to about 500 crore, said Jaideep Malaviya, secretary general of STFI.

As part of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission launched in 2010, consumers could avail themselves of a subsidy of 30 per cent on solar water heaters. The subsidy was provided by sellers registered with the MNRE as direct channel partners under this programme. The sellers were to be reimbursed by the ministry for providing the subsidy to consumers.

Over the years, solar water heater manufacturing has risen to 10 lakh sq meters of flat plate collectors in the country as of 2013-14. However, this amount fell from 14 lakh sq meters in the previous year.

According to STFI, the fall in production was due to lack of funds with the manufacturers who have dues pending with banks and suppliers.

Demand has been growing at a CAGR of 35 per cent so it's not that demand has come down', but the fact is we dont have the money to produce more, said M D Akole, Chairman of STFI.

Akole added that manufacturers of solar water heaters were small-scale industries and most of them have given personal guarantees to their bankers.

Painting a gloomy picture for the industry unless the pending dues are cleared, Malaviya said that manufacturers would have to stop production soon if the dues are not cleared.

STFI, which has been seeking an appointment with Upendra Tripathy, Secretary of MNRE, has not been able to meet the top bureaucrat in the ministry to present their demands.

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Solar water heater manufacturers demand clearance of unpaid dues from Govt

Manufacturers claim production will be hit otherwise

New Delhi, June 12:

Solar Thermal Federation of India (STFI), an industry body representing the solar water heater manufacturers, on Thursday appealed to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy to release the unpaid subsidies of around 350 crore.

About 50 crore of subsidy remains unpaid for the year 2012-13 and 300 crore for 2013-14. Going by the market growth the subsidy liability will grow additionally to about 500 crore, said Jaideep Malaviya, secretary-general of STFI.

As part of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission launched in 2010, consumers could avail themselves of a subsidy of 30 per cent on solar water heaters. The subsidy was provided by sellers registered with the MNRE as Direct Channel Partners under this programme. The sellers were to be reimbursed by the Ministry for providing the subsidy to the consumers.

Solar water heater manufacturing rose to 10 lakh sq meters of flat plate collectors in the country as of 2013-14. However, this fell from 14 lakh sq meters in the previous year.

According to STFI, the fall in production was due to lack of funds with the manufacturers who have dues pending with banks and suppliers. Demand has been growing at a CAGR of 35 per cent so its not that demand has come down but the fact is we dont have the money to produce more, said MD Akole, Chairman of STFI.

Manufacturers of solar water heaters are small-scale industries and most of them have given personal guarantees to their bankers, Akole said.

Painting a gloomy picture for the industry unless the pending dues are cleared, Malaviya said manufacturers would have to stop production if the dues arent cleared.

Solar water heaters are costlier to install than a traditional electric water heater. However, after the initial cost of installation, the running cost of such water heaters is zero and many municipalities and districts give users rebates on property tax and electricity bills.

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Clear pending dues, solar water heater makers urge Govt

People always get hot in summer. Why cant we use this hot summer! Dont get confused, I am saying about the use of solar energy. The greatest resource available in free of cost is solar energy. The solar energy is the power resource and with it we can achieve many things. Let us think of using it for water heating. Arizona solar water heating companies uses this technique for heating the water.

The installation is quite high but it is only once and you can achieve more benefits within a month after installation. You may think that there is no need of water heaters in summer, but it can also be used for other purposes like cooking, to have a warm shower. Arizona solar water heating companies produces water heaters to help people in such a way.

It can be used at any time, once after it gets required energy for the process to complete.

Cut Down Costs

Usually we dont use hot waters for bathing at summer, but we can use it for many other purposes throughout the year. It work is similar to that of the traditional water heaters that we use providing hot water throughout the home. The only difference is being the location of the heater. Yes as you guess, the solar water heater is installed over the roof of the house and that is mainly to get maximum exposure from sun. Since you are residents of Arizona, it is sure that you will get plenty of solar energy from the sunshine throughout the year. The Arizona water heating companies manufactures mainly for the benefit of Arizona residents.

It is very simple to install the product and let it be the work of the solar contractors. The best solar contractors will install the heaters in such a way it wont affect your beautiful appearance of the home.

Many doubt that how it saves the electricity bill? It can be best explained by home maker only. Have a talk with your partner and you will able to know for what hot waters are used and how much time it takes for boiling at one time. You will get all the answers and after that you know how important solar water heaters are?

With numerous tax credits, you can install the water heaters and also bring a green environment. This is the best opportunity to save money throughout years. Go with best installers for installing the product in the right manner.

Link:
Use Every Summer with New Technology Water Heaters

Q: Hi Ed, My hot water heater is in the garage and my main living area is on the second floor. It takes at least two to three minutes before I can get hot water out of my shower head.

Not only is this frustrating, all the cold water going down the drain is being wasted! A friend told me special pump systems are available to help with this issue, can you please tell me more about these systems?

Deb, Rhode Island

A: When dealing with any hot water issues, I recommend calling a local licensed master plumber to check out your plumbing system for proper operation and repair options.

What I can tell you is that waiting for hot water is a very common issue when the hot water heater is a long distance from the plumbing fixture.

The reason for this is that all the cooler water sitting in the pipes needs to be purged from the system before the hot water reaches the fixture. If you have a lot of water that needs to be purged out, as you said, the wait can be stressful and wasteful.

To help get the hot water faster to your plumbing fixtures, your plumber may install a residential hot water recirculating system. Basically, a recirculating pump is installed with a timer and a special mixing valve that moves hot water around your plumbing system at preset intervals. This way when you turn on a fixture like your shower, hot water should already be closer to the fixture to cut down the wait time.

Bottom line: Installing a residential hot water recirculating system can really "pump up" your water savings.

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Wasting water while waiting for a hot shower

Calabasas, California (PRWEB) May 30, 2014

For the Swim Team at Viewpoint High School in Calabasas, California, being called a swim cult is considered a badge of honor. Allison Hoops, a junior at Viewpoint High School, told local newspaper The Acorn the football team, the soccer team, the cheer squadtheyre all jealous of us. Theres a family atmosphere. Everyone wants the best for you. They truly care. Were one big family. We all support each other.

That overwhelming sense of community may be the Viewpoint Patriots secret weapon, responsible for the teams winning history; the boys team just won its 10th straight league championship, and the girls took their 8th in a row. Clearly, the competition pool at Viewpoint High is a place where champions are made.

Take a walk across the Schools sprawling campus, past the fragrant rose gardens, there is another pool. This pool is used by students of Viewpoints Primary and Lower School, where swimming is a regular part of the physical education program, as well as a component of its summer programs. This is where many of the championship-winning Patriots first learned how to swim.

On top of an adjacent building, out of sight of the many swimmers, parents, and faculty below, solar panels 72 of them to be exact are now hard at work heating the pools water, thanks to an ambitious solar contractor and a new state-wide rebate program that paid for nearly all of the systems cost. The solar panels, manufactured by Aquatherm Industries of Lakewood, New Jersey, were installed by Catersolar of Woodland Hills. Installation was completed on April 21 and, having passed its final inspections on May 9, became the first commercial pool solar heating system in southern California to qualify for a rebate under the California Solar Initiative (CSI) Thermal Program.

Established through the Solar Water Heating & Efficiency Act in 2007, the CSI-Thermal Program was started with the purpose of promoting solar thermal (heating & cooling) technologies in the state of California. The program receives funding through the ratepayers of several major state utility providers, including PG&E, SCE, SoCal Gas and SDG&E, and is regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). By providing rebates based on displaced usage of natural gas, electricity, and propane, Program Administrators hoped to reach their goal of 200,000 systems installed by 2017.

Though the solar industry in the U.S. is no stranger to incentives, pool heating applications have traditionally been excluded from receiving such subsidies. Having a heated swimming pool in your backyard is generally viewed as a luxury, not a necessity says Molly Friar, Sales & Marketing Manager for Aquatherm. Such was initially the case for the CSI-Thermal Program, until Program Administrators, looking for a way to increase participation in the Program, found their answer in commercial pool heating.

There are over 40,000 commercial pools in the state of California at places like schools, hotels, gyms, and homeowners associations the majority of which are heated, says Dave Sizelove, President of Aquatherm Industries. Facilities often have no choice but to continuously heat these pools, which uses an incredible amount of energy.

According to EPA estimates, the combined heating load of all commercial pools in California produces annual CO2 emissions equivalent to 436,310 passenger vehicles driven a total of 4,934,224 miles. That makes commercial pools a great candidate for solar heating, says Sizelove.

Over the past 40 years, the residential market for solar pool heating in California has seen steady growth. However, high upfront costs have resulted in a less successful market penetration in the commercial sector. Once solar is installed, Friar says, a facility can cut up to 100% of its pool heating costs, paying for itself in just a few short years. By reducing upfront costs through a rebate or other incentive, it becomes much more economically feasible for a facility to add a solar pool heating system.

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Solar Pool Heater Installed at Viewpoint School in Calabasas; First Commercial Pool in Southern California to Qualify ...

RALEIGH Responding to last years deaths at a Boone hotel, North Carolina lawmakers are proposing to broaden and clarify laws on carbon monoxide alerts in hotels and other lodgings.

The provision, part of a giant regulatory bill approved Wednesday by a Senate committee, would require alarms not just detectors near heaters, appliances and fireplaces that burn combustion fuels.

The bottom line will be that we add carbon monoxide alarms where we need to protect the public and prevent future deaths, said Rep. Ruth Samuelson, a Charlotte Republican.

Samuelson co-chairs the Environmental Review Commission, which made the proposal with input from fire marshals, building inspectors and state insurance officials.

The new requirement would apply to extended-stay tourist homes, bed and breakfast properties, as well as hotels and other lodgings.

The proposal rewrites portions of a law enacted last year after three people died of carbon monoxide poisoning at the Best Western in Boone. It replaces a portion that just required detectors, not alarms.

Lynn Minges, president and chief executive officer for the N.C. Restaurant & Lodging Association, said her group supports the new measure.

Minges said the bill simply clarifies language in the carbon monoxide alarm bill that went into effect last year.

It would end confusion about extended stay motels by making it clear they must install alarms, Minges said.

The only significant change contained in the new proposal would put local fire departments in charge of enforcing the law, she said. Now, local health departments perform that duty, but Minges said many of them don't have expertise with carbon monoxide alarms.

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Bill would broaden carbon monoxide rules

Updated: May 19, 2014 2:01AM

Erma Love guided me into the family room basement of her Gary home, shook her head out of frustration, and let out a long sigh.

You see that? asked Love, 71, pointing to obvious water damage along the baseboards.

And that? she asked, pointing to soiled furniture in a basement bedroom.

And that? she asked again, opening up a broken closet door. Nobody wants to take responsibility for any of this mess.

Love and her husband, Ernest, have lived on Louisiana Street, just off 5th Avenue, for more than four decades. They didnt have sewage backup problems until last year, they told me.

In October, sewage backed up into their basement causing extensive water damage, lost furniture and hefty costs to rehab the family room and adjoining rooms.

I paid $1,200 to get it done, plus another $400 to the Roto-Rooter man, Love said.

A few of her neighbors also have suffered similar sewage backup problems since the fall.

Every time it rains, we have to put on our worry faces, Love said while dragging out items from her basement on yet another rainy day.

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Davich: Sewage backup: The city needs to know

Cleanup continued Thursday in Penn Yan, Yates County, after Tuesday night's torrential rain sent buckets of water and mounds of mud streaming into the village. Rain remains in the forecast.

According to the Department of Transportation, all state roads are open in Yates County. Crews today started the process of repairing ditches, driveways and pipes on Routes 245, 364, 53 and 54, among others.

In Penn Yan, it was another day of shoveling mud and sorting through debris. Angel's Family Restaurant was one of many Main Street businesses damaged. They hope to reopen Saturday.

"There was no flood insurance. Luckily, we were able to salvage a lot of the food. The health department was called, because our freezers tipped over, but luckily, they didn't open, so we were able to salvage a lot from that. Our hot water heater survived, our air conditioner survived, so in light of everything, we're in a pretty good place. Lot of cleanup to do," said Angelique Neal.

Local insurance agent Tim Culver is an officer at the Masonic Lodge, which has no flood insurance. He was joined by an adjuster assessing the damage.

"We'll probably end up getting a denial letter in case down the road there's FEMA or anything like that, we could recoup some of our losses," Culver said.

While going through the building, someone smelled gas, leading to the building's evacuation. The fire department came in to check it out, before giving an all-clear.

Lt. Governor Bob Duffy, who owns a home on Keuka Lake, said he understands the concern of residents who don't have flood insurance. He says the state is looking in to it.

"For those that aren't insured, we are going to look at the resources available. That's a problem in every one of these storms and we're doing that right now. We're having people look at what we can provide and once we get the facts, we're going to share that will all of the leaders and homeowners here. I just don't want to make a promise I can't deliver on," Duffy said.

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Penn Yan Cleans Up After Storm, Watches the Forecast

Houston, Texas (PRWEB) May 15, 2014

Plumbing systems are needed in buildings for distributing water, which fulfils a variety of needs. Included among those needs are heating and waste removal. Not only do buildings need professionals to install water heaters and sewer drains, such devices need to be cleaned and maintained so that they work well and last longer. To this end, Southern Plumbing Services LLC recently revealed their new maintenance services for water heaters and sewer drain cleaning. Mainly serving the Houston metropolitan area, which includes cities like Sugar Land and Missouri City, Southern Plumbing provides services to residential and commercial customers.

Southern Plumbing is certified to provide tankless water heaters, which has major advantages. When water is stored in a tank, it would have to be heated continuously. However, tankless systems heat water as needed, thus making it a more energy efficient option. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that reduction of energy costs make tankless systems 24 percent more efficient than traditional water tanks. Also, at five to 10 years, tankless systems tend to last longer than regular water storage systems; and they take up less space. Southern Plumbing has 24-hour service available, so trained professionals can come at any time to perform the installation.

Southern Plumbing's sewer drain cleaning service is priced for affordability, thus making sure that preventing potential health hazards does not break the bank for the average customer. Also, Southern Plumbing trains people to restore trenchless pipes by inspecting them for slab leaks and drain leaks. In some cases, the professionals can remove tree roots that are obstructing the sewer line. The company can also replace sewer lines in the event that the client does not wish to stick with the old drain.

With water heater services at around $622 to $793 and sewer services that range from $624 to $3,572, Southern Plumbing are strict in being upfront about their pricing. So, customers are never in for an unpleasant surprise.

About Southern Plumbing: Founded in 2004, Southern Plumbing Services LLC specializes in repairing residential plumbing systems and installing and re-routing sewer lines. The company is also a certified tankless water heater installer, and it is the recipient of the 2013 Super Service Award from Angie's List. Southern Plumbing Services LLC carries $1,000,000 worth of general liability insurance, as well as $500,000 of auto insurance. The company can be reached by dialing 713-539-6239.

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Southern Plumbing Provides New Maintenance Services for Water Heaters and Sewer Drain Cleaning