Foresight of an MGP operator in the 1940s and 1950s vs. hindsight of an environmental remediator or protector (EPA) in the 2000s

William P. Earley 

Abstract
These are the day-to-day reminiscences of a manufactured gas plant engineer just past WWII when the largest proportion of fuel gas in the USA was produced from coal and oil, and how these actions appear in the light of discoveries at former production sites today. Production of the raw gas and its purification is briefly described, together with the gas plant operators’ views on the handling, storage, and sale of valuable by-products, and the disposition of less valuable co-products, residuals and wastes. 

Key words: asbestos, crude benzol, MGP history, tar 

Land Contamination & Reclamation, 14 (2), 2006, 167-170 

DOI 10.2462/09670513.771 

Updated: 26-Jun-2006