vyEPA

United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Water
4303T
EPA-821-F-12-002
April 2012
Fact Sheet
Effluent Guidelines for Airport Deicing
Discharges
The Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has signed for
publication in the Federal Register technology-based effluent limitations guidelines and
new source performance standards to control discharges of pollutants from airport
deicing operations. The requirements generally apply to wastewater associated with the
deicing of airfield pavement at primary airports. The rule also establishes new source
performance standards for wastewater discharges associated with aircraft deicing for a
subset of new airports. EPA expects this regulation to reduce pollutant discharges by at
least 16 million pounds per year, at an annual cost of about $3.5 million.
Background on Airport Deicing
Airlines and airports conduct deicing operations on aircraft and airfield pavement to
ensure the safety of passenger and cargo flights. In the absence of controls, deicing
chemicals are widely dispersed causing pollutants to enter nearby rivers, lakes,
streams, and bays.
Background on Effluent Guidelines
Effluent guidelines are national regulations that control the discharge of pollutants to
surface waters and to publicly owned treatment works. EPA issues effluent guidelines
for categories of existing sources and new sources under Title III of the Clean Water Act
to control pollution from these sources. The guidelines are based on the performance of
treatment and control technologies. These guidelines are implemented in discharge
permits issued by states and EPA regional offices under the National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System.
Final Rule Requirements
Existing and new primary airports with 1,000 or more annual jet departures ("non-
propeller aircraft") that generate wastewater associated with airfield pavement deicing
are to use non-urea-containing deicers, or alternatively, meet a numeric effluent
limitation for ammonia.
New airports with 10,000 annual departures located in cold climate zones are required
to collect 60 percent of aircraft deicing fluid after deicing. Airports that discharge the
collected aircraft deicing fluid directly to waters of the U.S. must also meet numeric
discharge requirements for chemical oxygen demand. The rule does not establish
uniform, national requirements for aircraft deicing discharges at existing airports. Such

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requirements will continue to be established in general permits, or for individual permits
on a site-specific, best professional judgment basis.
Additional Information
You can view or download the complete text of the Federal Register notice on EPA's
website at http://epa.gov/guide/airport. For additional information, please contact Eric
Strassler at strassler.eric@epa.gov or 202-566-1026.

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