The most suitable option is published in the
Federal Register as a proposed regulation for
public review and comment. It may contain a
specific request for comments on controversial
or difficult issues. The public comment period.
an integral part of the guidelines development
process, gives everyone the opportunity to
provide support or opposition and to submit
constructive and helpful suggestions. At the
close of this period, EPA evaluates all the
comments and again reviews the alternative
options. In some cases the comments are so
substantial that EPA decides on further study
or evaluation.
After consideration of the comments and
any subsequent research or analysis, the final
guideline is published. Generally, industry has
a maximum of three years to comply with the
new regulations.
Future Activities
The 1987 Amendments to the Clean
Water Act require EPA to publish a biennial
plan to review and revise existing guidelines
and to develop new ones for dischargers of
toxic or nonconventional pollutants. As
wastewater treatment technologies continue
to advance, earlier guidelines will need to
be revised to take into account improved
treatment methods and pollution prevention
activities. In addition, national concern will
focus on new pollutants, more stringent
discharge limits, and industries not presently
regulated.
EPA has developed an effective national
effluent guidelines program that is also widely
recognized and used by other countries. This
program has been essential to meeting the
commitment that the Clean Water Act
represents: the protection of our nation's
water for the benefit of us all.
United Slates Office of Water (WH -585)
Environmental EPA-821-F-93-002
Protection Agency June 1993
For additional information on effluent
guidelines or other Office of Water
programs, you may contact:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Water Resource Center (RC-4100)
401 M Street, SW, Washington, D.C. 20460
(202) 260-7786
SERA Protecting
Our Nation's
Waters from
Industrial
ischarges
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1 Published (or existing) Guidelines
INDUSTRIES
Aluminum Forming
Asbestos Manufacturing
Battery Manufacturing
Builder's Paper and Board Mills
Carbon Black Manufacturing
Cement Manufacturing
Coal Mining
Coil Coating
Copper Forming
Dairy Products Processing
Electroplating
Electrical and Electronic Components
Explosive Manufacturing
Feedlots
Ferroalloy Manufacturing
Fertilizer Manufacturing
Fruits and Vegetables Processing
Glass Manufacturing
Grain Mills Manufacturing
Gum and Wood Chemicals Manufacturing
Hospitals
Ink Formulating
Inorganic Chemicals
Iron and Steel Manufacturing
Leather Tanning and Finishing
Meat Products
Metal Finishing
Metal Molding and Casting (Foundries)
Mineral Mining and Processing
Nonferrous Metals Forming and Metal Powders
Nonferrous Metals Manufacturing
Oil and Gas Extraction
Ore Mining and Dressing
Organic Chemicals, Plastics and Synthetic Fibers
1 Paint Formulating
Paving and Roofing Materials (Tars & Asphalts)
Pesticide Chemicals
Petroleum Refining
Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
Phosphate Manufacturing
Photographic Processing
Plastics Molding and Forming
Porcelain Enameling
Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard
Rubber Manufacturing
Seafood Processing
Soap and Detergent Manufacturing
Steam Electric Power Generating
Sugar Processing
Textile Mills
Timber Products Processing
40CFR
467
427
461
431
458
411
434
465
468
405
413
469
457
412
424
418
407
426
406
454
460
447
415
420
425
432
433
464
436
471
421
435
440
414
446
443
455
419
439
422
459
463
466
430
428
408
417
423
409
410
429
YEAR
1983
1974
1984
1982
1978
1974
1985
1982
1983
1974
1981
1983
1976
1974
1974
974/79 |
1974
1974/86 |
1974
1976
1976
1975
1982
1982
1982
1974/76
1983
1985
1977
1985
1984
1993
1982/88
1987
1975
1975
1993
1982
1983
1976
1976
1984
1982
1982
1974
1974
1975
1982
1974
1982
1981
New and Revised Effluent Guidelines
CATEGORY
Organic Chemicals (Remand)
Pulp, Paper, & Paperboard
Pesticide Formulating & Packaging
Waste Treatment, Phase 1
Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
Metal Products & Machinery, Phase 1
(formerly Machinery Manufacturing & Rebuilding)
Coastal Oil & Gas
Waste Treatment, Phase 2
Industrial Laundries
Transportation Equipment Cleaning
Metal Products & Machinery, Phase 2
8 additional categories
PROPOSED
1991
1993
1994
1994
1994
1994
1995
1995
1996
1996
1997
1998-2001
FINAL
1993
1995
1995
1996
1996
1996
1996
1997
1998
1998
1999
2000-2003
* From the Effluent Guidelines Plan in the Federal Register, September 8,
1992, Vol 57, No 174, pp 41000 -41 004
i
Industry Studies
EPA has tentatively identified the following industries for study to determine
whether existing regulations should be revised. Findings will be published as
Preliminary Data Summaries and discussed in future Effluent Guidelines Plans
CATEGORY
Petroleum Refining
Metal Finishina
Textile Mills
Inoraanic Chemicals
7 additional categories
40CFR
419
433
410
415
YEAR
1993
1993
1996
1994
1995-97
40 CFR: Code of Federal Regulations
Part Number (under Title 40)
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Background
In 1972 Congress established, as part of the
Clean Water Act, a landmark program
to control the discharge of pollutants from
industries into the waters of the United States.
EPA uses complementary approaches to
ensure this protection of our valuable water
resources: technology-based effluent guide-
lines and water quality-based controls.
Effluent guidelines set national standards
for regulated industries. They ensure that
wastewaters discharged, either directly into
surface waters or indirectly into sewage
treatment plants, will achieve levels of pollut-
ants based on the best technology that is
economically ^^^^^^^
Developing Guidelines
Developing a guideline for any industrial
category is a complex process. It begins with
a study of the industry and of the actual
performance of technologies already in
place, including pollution prevention, reuse,
recycling, and wastewater treatment. EPA
gathers information on manufacturing pro-
cesses, costs, waste reduction and treatment
technologies, and the contents of waste-
water discharges from many facilities in the
industrial category under consideration. EPA
analyzes wastewater samples, and prepares
an economic analysis to help assess the
potential impact of any proposed guideline.
Economic and
Statistical Analyses
Environmental
Considerations
Engineering Factors
manufacturing
processes
fl
j • capital costs
waste
disposal
wastewxjfer into
ground waters
operatina costs
• treatment costs
-^~
possible. Water
quality-based
controls are devel-
oped by individual
states when even
more stringent
measures are
needed to protect
specific bodies of
water within their
boundaries.
The Environ-
mental Protection
Agency has already developed many tech-
nology-based guidelines, regulating over fifty
industrial categories (such as oil and gas
extraction, and pulp and paper manufactur-
ing). They regulate conventional pollutants,
such as oil and suspended solids; pollutants
that are identified as toxic (like lead and
benzene); and nonconventional pollutants,
including many pesticides. Each guideline is
developed by EPA with the help of scientists,
the industries under consideration, environ-
mental QTQMfis, and other interested parties.
This combination of economic, engineering,
and wastewater databases enables EPA to
develop guideline options for the industrial
category being considered.
The Regulation Process
The CWA of 1972 required EPA to publish
effluent guidelines for both direct and indirect
industrial dischargers and provided specific
factors to be considered for conventional
pollutants (BPT, BCD, toxijioollutants (BAT),
and new sources (NSPS). EPA uses the,se
factors in developing regulatory options.
Since conventional pollutants are considered
compatible with the operation of the munici-
pal wastewater treatment plant, they are not
regulated for indirect dischargers. In addition,
for toxic pollutants, EPA must show that the
Control Levels for Direct Dischargers
BAT — Best Available Technology
] -BPT — Best Practicable Control Technology
|'\S|&BCT - Best Conventional Pollutant
...jj?.. Control Technology
NSPS- New Source
Performance
£ Standards
•i$:.
III!
pollutant "passes through" the municipal
system before it is regulated for indirect
dischargers. For each industry, EPA defines
the levels of pollutants that are technically
and economically achievable, and describes
how these levels can be met and at what
cost. The industry may use any technology
that allows it to meet the guideline levels.
»SCS — Pretreatment Standards
for Existing Sources
PSNS — Pretreatment Standards
for New Sources
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