Air Toxic Standards Essay

FINAL AMENDMENTS TO AIR TOXICS STANDARDS FOR PORTLAND CEMENT MANUFACTURING FACT SHEET December 20, 2012 – In response to a federal court decision, petitions for reconsideration and technical information received after final rules were issued in 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized amendments to the agency’s air toxics rules for Portland cement manufacturing. The amended rule will maintain dramatic reductions of mercury, acid gases, particulate matter and total hydrocarbons from existing cement kilns across the country, while ensuring that emissions from new kilns remain low. Today’s final amendments apply to two air emissions rules for the Portland cement industry: air toxics standards and new source performance standards. The final air toxics rule retains emission limits for mercury, acid gases and total hydrocarbons from the 2010 rules, along with retaining requirements that kilns continuously monitor compliance with limits for mercury, total hydrocarbons and particulate matter (PM). The air toxics rule also adjusts the way cement kilns continuously monitor PM emissions, and adjusts emissions limits for PM and organic air toxics. Existing kilns must comply with the standards by Sept. 9, 2015, and if needed, may request an additional year. EPA is making conforming changes to the PM limits in the New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for new cement kilns. Today’s rule is expected to significantly reduce pollution from Portland cement manufacturing over 2010 levels when fully implemented, cutting emissions of mercury by 93 percent, hydrochloric acid by 96 percent, PM by 91 percent, and total hydrocarbons by 82 percent. The revised rule will maintain important health benefits associated with reducing mercury, acid gases and particulate matter while reducing the cost of compliance. EPA estimates that cement kilns will have to spend $52 million less to implement requirements in the revised rule than the 2010 rule. In developing the emissions limits for the air toxics rule, EPA excluded data from cement kilns that burn non-hazardous solid waste. Those kilns are subject to another rule, the emission standards for Commercial/Industrial Solid Waste Incinerators. Requirements in the final rules The final rules change the monitoring method that facilities use to demonstrate compliance with emissions limits for PM, and make change to the PM emission limits that are necessary as a result. o EPA made these changes based on new real-world technical information that indicated PM emissions could not be reliably measured using the monitoring requirements EPA

had required in the 2010 rule. o The revised monitoring method requires kilns to monitor continuously to demonstrate compliance with the PM limits. The amendments also: o Change the compliance date for existing kilns under the air toxics standards to Sept. 9, 2015. Facilities may request an additional year, if needed. EPA is changing the compliance date because the rule revisions make it necessary for the cement industry to reassess its emission control strategies. o Some facilities are expected to choose different emission controls to meet the revised requirements. o Allow better-performing kilns greater flexibility in meeting the daily operating limits that facilities use to demonstrate continuous compliance. This flexibility applies only to those facilities with PM or organic air toxic emissions that remain below 75 percent of the emission limits in the final rule. o Treat coal mills that use kiln exhaust as a part of the cement kiln. This means emissions from coal mills are included when determining if a kiln is meeting emission limits. o Revise the open clinker pile standards from the 2010 final rule by allowing facilities to choose from a list of work practices to control fugitive emissions. The work practices would apply to any open clinker piles, regardless of the quantity of clinker or the length of time that the clinker pile exists. Facilities

Show More

Essay about Environmental Econ

Business: Recycling and Local Electronic Recycling Essay

Environmental Pollution Essays

What Are The Major Changes Thanks To EPA

Nox: Nitrogen Dioxide and Nitrous Oxide Exposures Essay

Pittsburgh Water Pollution

No2 Research Paper

Essay about Relevant Legal Requirements

Essay on Chemistry - Asbestos

A Brief Note On Fracking