Lead Production
United States
Final Rule: Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases
Under the Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) rule, owners or operators of facilities that
contain lead production processes (as defined below) and that emit 25,000 metric tons or more of GHGs
per year (expressed as carbon dioxide equivalents) from lead production processes, stationary fuel
combustion, miscellaneous use of carbonates, and other source categories (see information sheet on
General Provisions) must report emissions from all source categories located at the facility for which
emission calculation methods are defined in the 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?
The lead production source category consists of primary and secondary lead smelters. A primary lead
smelter is a facility engaged in the production of lead metal from lead sulfide ore concentrates through the
use of pyrometallurgical techniques (smelting). A secondary lead smelter is a facility at which lead-
bearing scrap materials (including but not limited to lead-acid batteries) are recycled by smelting into
elemental lead or lead alloys.
What GHGs Must Be Reported?
Lead production facilities must report the following emissions:
• Carbon dioxide (CO2) process emissions from each smelting furnace used for lead production.
• CO2 combustion emissions from each smelting furnace used for lead production.
• Methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from fuel combustion at each smelting
furnace. Report these emissions under 40 CFRpart 98, subpart C (General Stationary Fuel
Combustion Sources). The information sheet on general stationary fuel combustion sources
summarizes the rule requirements for calculating and reporting emissions from these units.
• CO2, CFL,, and N2O emissions from each onsite stationary fuel combustion unit other than
smelting furnaces under 40 CFRpart 98, subpart C (General Stationary Combustion Sources).
In addition, each facility must report GHG emissions for any other source categories for which calculation
methods are provided in other subparts of the rule.
How Must GHG Emissions Be Calculated?
For CO2 emissions from each smelting furnace, facilities must use one of two methods, as appropriate:
• Lead smelting furnaces with certain types of continuous emission monitoring systems (CEMS) in
place must report using the CEMS and following the Tier 4 methodology of 40 CFR part 98,
subpart C to report combined CO2 emissions from the smelting process and fuel combustion.
• For other affected smelting furnaces, the reporter can elect to use one of two methods, as follows:
o CEMS. Operate a CEMS to measure combined process and combustion CO2 emissions
according to requirements specified in 40 CFRpart 98, subpart C.
o Carbon mass balance procedure. Conduct a once-per-year calculation using recorded
monthly production data and the average carbon content for each smelting furnace input
material, including carbonaceous reducing agents. Determine carbon content either using
40 CFR 98, subpart R 1 EPA-430-F-09-031R
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material supplier information or by annual analysis of three representative samples of
each material. Materials that can be documented to contribute less than 1 percent of the
total carbon into the process can be excluded.
A checklist for data that must be monitored is available at:
www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/downloads/checklists/leadproduction.pdf
What Information Must Be Reported?
In addition to the information required by the General Provisions at 40 CFR 98.3(c), the following
information must be reported for smelting furnaces:
If a CEMS is used to measure CO2 emissions, then under this subpart the relevant information required
for the CEMS by subpart C (General Stationary Fuel Combustion Sources) and the information listed
below must be reported:
• Identification number of each smelting furnace.
• Annual lead product production capacity (tons).
• Annual production for each lead product (tons).
• Total number of smelting furnaces at the facility used for lead production.
If a CEMS is not used to measure emissions, then the following information must be reported:
• Identification number of each smelting furnace.
• Annual process CO2 emissions from each smelting furnace (metric tons).
• Annual lead product production capacity for the facility and each smelting furnace (tons).
• Annual production for each lead product (tons).
• Total number of smelting furnaces at the facility used for lead production.
• Annual material quantity for each material used for the calculation of annual process CO2
emissions for each smelting furnace (tons).
• Annual average of the carbon content determinations for each material used for the calculation of
annual process CO2 emissions.
• The method used for the determination of carbon content for each material reported.
• If the missing data procedures are used, then report how the monthly mass of carbon-containing
materials with missing data was determined and the number of months in which the missing data
procedures were used.
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@epa.gov.
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