United States
                   Environmental Protection
                   Agency
 Air and Energy Engineering
 Research Laboratory
 Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
                   Research and Development
  EPA/600/S8-90/052 Aug. 1990
SEPA         Project  Summary
                   Evaluation of Emission
                   Factors for Formaldehyde  from
                   Certain Wood Processing
                   Operations
                   Ted S.White
                   A  search for  information  on
                  formaldehyde emissions from  wood
                  veneer operations  was performed to
                  develop emission factors  for the
                  industry.  Formaldehyde releases of
                  246 kg (542 Ib) were reported under
                  Title  III  of  the  Superfund
                  Amendments and Reauthorization Act
                  of 1986 (SARA)  from a large plywood
                  plant in  Mississippi. However,
                  existing data found during the study
                  period were insufficient to allow
                  reliable emission factors to  be
                  calculated.
                   This  Project  Summary  was
                  developed  by EPA's Air and Energy
                  Engineering Research Laboratory,
                  Research  Triangle  Park,  NC,  to
                  announce key findings of the research
                  project that is fully documented in a
                  separate report of the same title (see
                  Project Report ordering information at
                  back).

                  Supplemental Study
                   The purpose of this study was to
                  supplement information presented in
                  "Evaluation of Emission Factors  for
                  Formaldehyde from  Certain Wood
                  Processing Operations," EPA-45073-
                  87/023 (NTIS  PB88-118492), October,
                  1987, with any additional formaldehyde
                  emission  information that  became
                  available between October 1987 and May
                  1989. The focus of this effort was existing
                  data  that would  allow calculation  of
                  emission factors for four unit operations
 in wood veneer plants: (1) formulating the
 urea- and  phenol-formaldehyde resin
 glues, (2) applying the glues, (3) curing,
 and (4) storing the finished products.
  The methodology used for collecting
 emission data included:  (1) telephone
 surveys of regulatory personnel, industry
 contacts, and trade organization  con-
 tacts; (2)  a  computerized literature
 search; and (3) a search  of data bases
 containing  air toxics emissions data,
 including The  National Air  Toxics
 Information Clearinghouse (NATICH),
 recent supplements to the  Best Available
 Control Technology/Lowest Achievable
 Emission   Rate   (BACT/LAER)
 Clearinghouse document, and estimates
 of 1987 releases of formaldehyde from
 plants provided to  EPA  under the
 Superfund  Amendments   and
 Reauthorization Act (SARA) of 1986.
  A  search  for  information   on
 formaldehyde emissions  from wood
 veneer operations was  performed to
 develop emission factors for the industry.
 Formaldehyde releases of 246 kg (542 Ib)
 reported under SARA Title III from a large
 plywood plant in Mississippi. However,
 existing data  found  during the study
 period were insufficient to allow reliable
 emission factors to be calculated.
  Mandatory submittals of  formaldehyde
 release estimates under SARA  Title III
and the California Air Toxic Hot Spot Act
of 1987 should become available within
the next few years. These data could
potentially be combined with available

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production statistics for the wood veneer
industry to compile emissions  factors.
More reliable data may become available
from compliance tests that follow permit
decisions  in  States  that  regulate
formaldehyde  emissions  from  wood
veneer plants now and  in the future. A
comprehensive  test program  performed
in several  plants  and  unit operations
would provide the  highest quality,  most
useful  data  for  emission   factor
development.
    red S. White is with Radian Corp., Reseach Triangle Park, N.C. 27709.
    T. Kelly Janes  is the EPA Project Officer (see below).
    The complete report, entitled "Evaluation of Emission Factors for Formaldehyde
         from Certain  Wood Processing Operations"  (Order No. PB 90-254 988
         /AS; Cost: $15.00, subject to change) will be available only from:
             National Technical Information Service
             5285 Port Royal Road
             Springfield, VA 22161
             Telephone: 703-487-4650
    The EPA Project Officer can be contacted at:
         Air and Energy  Engineering Research Laboratory
         U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
         Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
  United States
  Environmental Protection
  Agency
Center for Environmental Research
Information
Cincinnati OH 45268
  Official Business
  Penalty for Private Use $300

  EPA/600/S8-90/052

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