United States Solid Waste and EPA530-F-02-008
Environmental Protection Emergency Response February 2002
Agency (5305W) www.epa.gov/osw
Office of Solid Waste
v>EPA Environmental
Fact Sheet
Interim Emission Standards for
1999 Hazardous Waste Combustor Rule
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is publishing interim air emission
standards and revised compliance provisions for hazardous waste combustion sources
as a result of a consensus settlement of issues among the environmental and
regulated communities and EPA. The Agency believes that these interim standards will
better protect human health and the environment than if the standards were vacated by
the Court. These interim standards leave critical parts of the 1999 rule intact, make
compliance easier for the regulated community and the implementing states, and
achieve most of its emission reductions.
On September 30, 1999, EPA issued standards to control emissions of hazardous air
pollutants from incinerators, cement kilns, and lightweight aggregate kilns that burn
hazardous wastes. These standards were based on the performance of Maximum
Achievable Control Technology (MACT), and implemented section 112(d) of the Clean Air
Act. The rule regulated emissions of dioxins and furans, mercury, and other toxic metals, among
other hazardous air pollutants. A number of parties, representing both industrial and environmental
communities, requested judicial review of this rule, and challenged its emission standards and
several implementation provisions.
On July 24, 2001, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (the
Court) vacated the emission standards. When it made its decision, the Court invited any of the
parties to request, either that the current standards remain intact, or that EPA be allowed time to
publish interim standards. On October 19, 2001, EPA and the other parties jointly asked the Court
for additional time to develop interim standards, and the Court granted this request. These
consensus revisions to the 1999 emission standards and compliance provisions are the product of
that effort. The Agency believes that these interim standards will better protect human health and
the environment than if the standards had been vacated by the Court. These interim standards
preserve the most critical elements of the original standards, guaranteeing that most of the emission
reductions will be achieved. It also avoids the need to develop requirements for facilities on a site-
by-site basis, as would be required by the Clean Air Act if the standards had been vacated.
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All hazardous waste combustors must comply with these interim standards by September 30,
2003. Tables containing details of the emission standards follow. The interim standards apply until
EPA issues "replacement" standards that satisfy the Court. Those standards must be promulgated
by June 14, 2005.
For More Information
Information about this regulation is available on the Web at: http://www.epa.gov/
epaoswer/hazwaste/combust/preamble.htm. For additional information call the RCRA Call Center
at 1-800-424-9346 or TDD 1-800-553-7672 (hearing impaired). Callers within the Washington
Metropolitan Area must dial 703-412-9810 or TDD 703-412-3323 (hearing impaired).
INTERIM STANDARDS FOR EXISTING AND NEW INCINERATORS
Hazardous Air Pollutant or
Hazardous Air Pollutant
Surrogate
Dioxin /Furan
Mercury
Paniculate Matter
Semivolatile Metals
Low Volatile Metals
Hydrochloric Acid/Chlorine Gas
Hydrocarbons
Destruction and Removal
Efficiency
Interim Emission Standard1
Existing Sources
0.20 ng TEQ/dscm; or
0.40 ng TEQ/dscm and temperature at inlet to the
initial paniculate matter control device <400° F
130 ng/dscm
34mg/dscm
(0.015gr/dscf)
240 ng/dscm
97 ng/dscm
77 ppmv
10 ppmv (or 100 ppmv carbon monoxide)
New Sources
0.20 ng TEQ/dscm
45 ng/dscm
34mg/dscm
(0.015gr/dscf)
120 ng/dscm
97 ng/dscm
21 ppmv
10 ppmv (or 100 ppmv
carbon monoxide)
For existing and new sources, 99.99% for each principal organic hazardous
constituent (POHC) designated. For sources burning hazardous wastes F020,
F021, F022, F023, F026, or F027, 99.9999% for each POHC designated.
All emission levels are corrected to 7 percent oxygen
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INTERIM STANDARDS FOR EXISTING AND NEW CEMENT KILNS
Hazardous Air Pollutant or
Hazardous Air Pollutant
Surrogate
Dioxin and Furan
Mercury
Paniculate Matter
Semivolatile Metals
Low Volatile Metals
Hydrochloric Acid and
Chlorine Gas
Hydrocarbons: Kilns
without By -pass
Hydrocarbons: Kilns with
By -pass; Main Stack
Hydrocarbons: Kilns with
By -pass; By -pass Duct and
Stack
Destruction and Removal
Efficiency
Interim Emission Standard1
Existing Sources
0.20 ng TEQ/dscm; or
0.40 ng TEQ/dscm and control of flue
gas temperature not to exceed 400 T at
the inlet to the paniculate matter
control device
120 ng/dscm
0.15 kg/Mg dry feed and 20% opacity
330 ng/dscm
56 ng/dscm
130 ppmv
20 ppmv (or 100 ppmv carbon
monoxide)
No main stack standard
10 ppmv (or 100 ppmv carbon
monoxide)
New Sources
0.20 ng TEQ/dscm; or
0.40 ng TEQ/dscm and control of flue
gas temperature not to exceed 400°F at
the inlet to the paniculate matter
control device
120 ng/dscm
0. 15 kg/Mg dry feed and 20% opacity
180 ng/dscm
54 ng/dscm
86 ppmv
Greenfield kilns:
20 ppmv (or 100 ppmv carbon
monoxide and 50 ppmv hydrocarbons)
All others:
20 ppmv (or 100 ppmv carbon
monoxide)
50 ppmv
10 ppmv (or 100 ppmv carbon
monoxide)
For existing and new sources, 99.99% for each principal organic hazardous
constituent (POHC) designated. For sources burning hazardous wastes F020,
F021, F022, F023, F026, or F027, 99.9999% for each POHC designated.
All emission levels are corrected to 7% O2, dry basis.
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INTERIM STANDARDS FOR EXISTING AND
NEW LIGHTWEIGHT AGGREGATE KILNS
Hazardous Air Pollutant or
Hazardous Air Pollutant
Surrogate
Dioxin/Furan
Mercury
Paniculate Matter
Semivolatile Metals
Low Volatile Metals
Hydrochloric Acid/Chlorine
Gas
Hydrocarbons
Destruction and Removal
Efficiency
Interim Emission Standard1
Existing Sources
0.20 ng TEQ/dscm; or rapid quench of
the flue gas at the exit of the kiln to
less than 400T
120 ng/dscm
57 mg/dscm (0.025 gr/dscf)
250 ng/dscm
110 ng/dscm
600 ppmv
20 ppmv
(or 100 ppmv carbon monoxide)
New Sources
0.20 ng TEQ/dscm; or rapid quench of
the flue gas at the exit of the kiln to
less than 400°F
120 ng/dscm
57 mg/dscm (0.025 gr/dscf)
43 ng/dscm
110 ng/dscm
600 ppmv
20 ppmv
(or 100 ppmv carbon monoxide)
For existing and new sources, 99.99% for each principal organic hazardous
constituent (POHC) designated. For sources burning hazardous wastes F020,
F021, F022, F023, F026, or F027, 99.9999% for each POHC designated.
All emission levels are corrected to 7% O2, dry basis.
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