Effluent Guidelines

Commercial Hazardous Waste Combustor Subcategory of the Waste Combustors Point Source Category

Proposed Rule Fact Sheet

January 1998

Summary

This proposed regulation would limit the discharge of pollutants into waters of the United States and the introduction of pollutants into publicly-owned treatment works by existing and new facilities in the Industrial Waste Combustor Subcategory of the Waste Combustors Point Source Category. The waste streams being limited are air pollution control wastewater, slag quench and flue gas quench. EPA is publishing the proposed rules for public comment.

Environmental Benefits
This proposed rule would provide increased protection to human health and aquatic life by reducing discharges of pollutants by over 230 thousand pounds of total suspended solids and metals. This would result in improved water quality in 11 streams.

Effluent Limitations Guidelines
Effluent limitations guidelines are national regulations that establish restrictions on the discharge of pollutants to surface waters or to publicly owned treatment works by specific categories of industries. The requirements are developed by EPA based on the application of specific process or treatment technologies to control pollutant discharges. Although the guidelines are developed based upon particular technologies, EPA does not require that dischargers use these technologies. Individual facilities may meet the requirements using whatever types of treatment technologies and process changes they choose. Since 1974, EPA has promulgated effluent limitations guidelines and standards for 51 industrial categories.

Under this proposed rule, industrial waste combustor facilities would be required to achieve concentration-based limitations for air pollution control wastewater, slag quench and flue gas quench produced as a result of their combustion operations. Other wastewaters generated as a result of combustion operations would not be regulated under this proposed rule.

The technology bases for the proposed limitations include two stages of chemical precipitation, each followed by some form of solids separation and sludge dewatering, with sand filtration for direct discharge and without sand filtration for indirect discharge.

Cost to Implement
EPA estimates that the total annualized costs of the proposed rule would be $2.2 million (in $1996), which EPA has determined to be economically achievable. EPA did not identify any small businesses which would be impacted by this regulation.

Additional information
For additional information concerning this rule, contact Ms. Samantha Hopkins, Office of Water, Engineering and Analysis Division (4303) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC, 20460, (202) 260-7149.

You may view the Federal Register notice and supporting development documents that describe this rule on the Internet at: http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/chwc/ The notice gives complete information on how to obtain additional information, how to review the complete public record for this proposed rulemaking, and how to submit public comment.

Workshop and Public Hearing
EPA will conduct a workshop and public hearing on the pretreatment standards of the rule. The combined meeting will be held on April 1, 1998, from 9:00 am to 10:30 am, instead of February 26, 1998, as initially announced in the February 6, 1998, Federal Register proposal.

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