Final Rule Fact Sheet for Effluent Guidelines for Metal Products and Machinery

On February 14, 2003, EPA's Administrator signed a final rule to establish wastewater controls for the Metal Products & Machinery (MP&M) industrial category. The MP&M regulation applies to about 2,400 facilities that generate oily wastewater. The rule establishes technology-based effluent limitations and new source performance standards for wastewater discharges from new and existing facilities that manufacture, rebuild, or maintain finished metal products, parts, or machines.

To what facilities does this rule apply?

In addition to some government facilities, the final rule sets performance standards for facilities in these industrial sectors:

Examples of federal, state, and local government facilities that fall under this rule are a town that operates its own bus, truck, and/or snow removal equipment maintenance facility or a U.S. military base.

What does the MP&M rule do?

EPA is establishing limitations and standards only for facilities that directly discharge wastewaters from oily operations in the Oily Wastes subcategory. EPA is establishing daily maximum limits for two pollutants, oil and grease (as hexane extractable material) and total suspended solids, based on the best practicable control technology: (1) in-process flow control and pollution prevention; and (2) oil-water separation by chemical emulsion breaking and skimming. These limitations will be incorporated into industrial water pollution control permits for facilities in the Oily Wastes subcategory when they are issued or re-issued.

What are the impacts of the regulation?

EPA expects that, when the rule is implemented, the discharge of conventional pollutants (e.g., oil and grease and total suspended solids) will be reduced by about 500,000 pounds per year. Water quality improvements will increase opportunities for swimming and fishing and will reduce stress on aquatic ecosystems. EPA estimates it will cost facilities, both private and government, about $13.8 million a year to comply with this rule. EPA estimates that the affected companies can afford these costs.

How can I get copies of the rule?

After the final rule is published in the Federal Register, you can request a copy by contacting the Office of Water Resource center at 202-566-1729 or center.water-resource@epa.gov. You can also write or call the National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP), U.S. EPA/NSCEP, P.O. Box 42419, Cincinnati, Ohio 45242-2419, (800) 490-9198, http://www.epa.gov/ncepihom/.

You may also obtain electronic copies of this preamble and rule as well as major supporting documents at E-Dockets at http://www.epa.gov/edocket/ and or at the MP&M webpage at http://www.epa.gov/guide/mpm/. Once in the E-Dockets system, select "search," then key in the MP&M docket identification number (OW-2002-0033).