Other Uses for Phosphogypsum
Rad NESHAPs
Currently approved uses for phosphogypsum require about 500,000 metric tons per year. This is only a small fraction of the almost 40 million metric tons that are added to phosphogypsum stacks each year and does nothing to reduce the 1 billion or more metric tons that have accumulated in stacks. In response to the need for new ways to make use of phosphogypsum, EPA has provided a process by which researchers may apply for approval from EPA for new uses. Section 206 of Subpart R, "Distribution and use of phosphogypsum for other purposes," lays out the process.
What information on applying for approval of other uses is available here?
The Other Uses section of the Subpart R Home Page provides information on the following topics that may be of interest to other use applicants:
- Full text of Section 206, "Distribution and use of phosphogypsum for other purposes"
- A periodically updated workbook for applicants, Applying to EPA for Approval of Other Uses of Phosphogypsum: Preparing and Submitting a Complete Petition Under 40 CFR 61.206 (PDF) (34 pp, 518 Kb) [about pdf format].
- Information on models that are suitable for use in conducting risk assessments
- EPA announces the withdrawal of Petition for Alternative Use of Phosphogypsum:
On January 13, 2005, EPA issued a request for comment on the approval of a proposed alternative use of phosphogypsum by the Florida Institute of Phosphate Research (FIPR). FIPR had petitioned EPA to test the use of approximately 25 tons of phosphogypsum as a daily cover at the Brevard County Solid Waste Landfill.
The comment period ended on February 19, 2005. EPA received 14 written comments and eight electronic comments regarding the proposal to approve the petition.
At the same time, we received information from the Brevard County Solid Waste Management Department, stating that they were reconsidering allowing the use of their Central Disposal Facility as the host of the test. We subsequently received a letter dated May 24, 2005 from Brevard County announcing that, for a number of reasons, they would no longer support the project, and were withdrawing permission to host the test.
EPA received a letter from FIPR dated June 23, 2005, formally withdrawing the petition from being considered for an alternate use approval. The petition is now inactive, and there will be no further action on it by EPA.