UNITED STATES
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENC
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A
Environmental News
Deister (202) 755-0344
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE/ TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 1974
EPA SETS FINAL EFFLUENT LIMITATIONS FOR INSULATION FIBERGLASS
INDUSTRY
The Environmental Protection Agency has established final
waste water effluent limitations for the insulation fiberglass
industry.
This is the first of 30 industries for which EPA will set
limits on what they can discharge into navigable waters. Al-
ready, EPA has proposed limitations for 28 of these industries,
and as soon as the standards have been reviewed, they will be
promulgated.
Besides limiting pollutants from existing plants, the
regulations also include standards for performance for new
plants.
The effluent limitations will be used by EPA and the States
as a basis for issuing waste water discharge permits to individ-
ual plants. The Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments
of 1972 require all cities, industries and certain agricultural
activities to obtain these permits.
The new water law sets two general requirements for the
development of the limitations. They are that existing indus-
tries must achieve limitations based upon the "best practicable
control technology currently available" by July 1, 1977, and
(more)
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ERA-FORM 1510*1 (REV. ft-72)
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the "best available technology economically achieveable" by
July 1, 1983.
In its proposed limitations for the fiberglass industry
to meet the 1977 deadline, EPA required no discharge of process
waste water. In its final regulations for the industry, EPA
retained the no discharge requirement except for process waste
water from advanced air emission control devices when such
water cannot be consumed in the process. The regulations set
specific limits for pollutants contained in water from such
devices.
For the 1983 requirement, the final regulations require
no discharge of process waste water with no exceptions.
NeW plants must also meet the no discharge requirement
before they begin operation.
The 28 industries for which EPA has proposed limitations
are: beet sugar, cement, feedlots, phosphates, electroplating,
inorganic chemicals, plastics and synthetics, meat, rubber,
ferro alloys, flat glass, asbestos, fruits and vegatables, non-
ferrous, timber, cane sugar, fertilizer, leather, soaps and
detergents, grain milling, petroleum, organic chemicals, dairy,
pulp and paper, builders paper, textiles and seafood.
EPA will propose limitations for the remaining two indus-
tries within a week or two. They are: steam and electric
power plants, and iron and steel.
The final regulations covering the fiberglass industry
were published in the Federal Register on January 22, 1974.
A copy of the regulations is on display in Room 232, West
Tower, EPA Headquarters, 401 M Street, SW., Washington, D.C.
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