Miscellaneous Uses of Carbonate
United States
Final Rule: Mandatory Reporting for Greenhouse Gases Aaencjmental Pl°t9ction
Under the Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) rule, owners or operators of facilities that
emit 25,000 metric tons or more of GHGs per year from stationary combustion, miscellaneous use of
carbonates, and other source categories (see information sheet on General Provisions) must report
emissions from the use of carbonates in manufacturing processes and all other source categories located
at the facility for which methods are defined in this rule. Owners or operators are required to collect
emission data; calculate GHG emissions; and follow the specified procedures for quality assurance,
missing data, recordkeeping, and reporting.
How Is This Source Category Defined?
This source category consists of any facility that is covered by the rule and that uses any form of
carbonate in a manufacturing process that emits carbon dioxide (CO2). Carbonates covered by this rule
are limestone, dolomite, ankerite, magnesite, silerite, rhodochrosite, and sodium carbonate. Facilities are
considered to emit CO2 if they consume at least 2,000 short tons per year of carbonates heated to a
temperature sufficient to allow the calcination reaction to occur.
This subpart does not cover the use of carbonates consumed for producing cement, ferroalloys, glass, iron
and steel, lead, lime, phosphoric acid, pulp and paper, soda ash, sodium bicarbonate, sodium hydroxide,
and zinc, because these processes are covered by other parts of this rule.
What GHGs Must Be Reported?
Each facility must report CO2 process emissions for all miscellaneous carbonate use at the facility.
How Must GHG Emissions Be Calculated?
Calculate annual process emissions of CO2 using one of the following two methods:
• Use an emission factor, the annual mass of each carbonate consumed, and the calcination fraction
achieved (based on an annual emission test or assuming a value of 100 percent).
• Perform a mass balance using an emission factor and the annual mass of carbonate inputs and
outputs.
A checklist for data that must be monitored is available at:
www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/downloads/checklists/misc uses carbonate.pdf
What Information Must Be Reported?
In addition to the information required by the General Provisions at 40 CFR 98.3(c) and any other subpart
of this rule, facilities consuming carbonates also must report the following information at the facility
level:
• Annual CO2 emissions from carbonate use (metric tons).
• Annual mass of each carbonate type consumed (tons).
• Measurement method used to determine the mass of carbonate.
• Method used to calculate emissions.
40 CFR 98, subpart U 1 EPA-430-F-09-007R
September 2009
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• Number of times in the reporting year that missing data procedures were followed to measure
carbonate consumption, carbonate input, or carbonate output (months).
• If using the emission factor method:
o Annual carbonate consumption by carbonate type (tons).
o Annual calcination fractions used in calculations.
o The standard method used to determine calcination fraction.
• If using the mass balance method:
o Annual carbonate input by carbonate type (tons).
o Annual carbonate output by carbonate type (tons).
For More Information
This document is provided solely for informational purposes. It does not provide legal advice, have
legally binding effect, or expressly or implicitly create, expand, or limit any legal rights, obligations,
responsibilities, expectations, or benefits in regard to any person. The series of information sheets is
intended to assist reporting facilities/owners in understanding key provisions of the final rule.
Visit EPA's Web site (www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ghgrulemaking.html) for more
information, including the final preamble and rule, additional information sheets on specific industries,
the schedule for training sessions, and other documents and tools. For questions that cannot be answered
through the Web site, please contact us at: ghgmrr(giepa.gov.
40 CFR 98, subpart U 2 EPA-430-F-09-007R
September 2009
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