&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
January 2007
EPA530-F-06-008
www.epa.gov/osw
for F019
Sludges
                 The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to amend the F019
             hazardous waste listing in order to encourage the use of aluminum in motor vehicles,
             which will decrease exhaust air emissions and increase gas mileage. EPA has
             determined that the proposed changes are fully protective of human health and the
             environment.

          Action
             EPA is proposing to amend the F019 hazardous waste listing to facilitate the use
          of aluminum in automobiles, light trucks and utility vehicles.  Using aluminum parts
          instead of heavier steel or iron parts produces lighter vehicles capable of decreased
          exhaust air emissions and increased gas mileage.
             Aluminum automotive parts must go through a metal finishing or conversion
          coating process before being included in a motor vehicle. This process generates
          F019, an F-code waste,  that currently must be managed and disposed of as a
          hazardous waste. Specifically, F019 waste is defined as wastewater treatment sludge
          from the chemical conversion coating of aluminum. Zirconium phosphating in
          aluminum can washing  is exempt from regulation when such  phosphating is an
          exclusive conversion coating process.
             The proposed amendment exempts F019 waste from regulation as hazardous
          waste on the condition that the waste is disposed of in a landfill unit that meets certain
          liner design criteria. This flexible approach to managing F019 waste encourages the
          use of lighter aluminum parts in motor vehicles, while fully protecting human health
          and the environment.
             The motor vehicle industry has incorporated aluminum into vehicle parts and
          bodies since the 1970s.  Between 1997 and 2005, EPA granted 15 petitions for
          individual U.S. plants to exempt F019 from regulation. This proposal responds to the
          Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and the Aluminum Association, which asked
          EPA to  standardize the F019 listing for all motor vehicle manufacturing plants, and
          remove the barriers to using aluminum in  automotive manufacturing.

          For       information
             Please visit us on the web at: http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/id/f019/
          fD19.htm.

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