FACT SHEET

Final Amendments to Air Toxics Standards for Asphalt Processing and
Asphalt Roofing Manufacturing

ACTION

•	On January 30, 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized
amendments to the 2003 National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants
(NESHAP) for Asphalt Processing and Asphalt Roofing Manufacturing.

•	The 2003 rule applies to each new or existing asphalt processing or asphalt roofing
manufacturing facility that is a major source or is located at a major source of hazardous
air pollutants (HAP). On May 17, 2005, EPA finalized minor amendments to the 2003
NESHAP.

•	This action finalizes the results of EPA's risk and technology review (RTR) conducted in
accordance with the Clean Air Act (CAA). It also finalizes amendments to the 2003 rule
which include:

o revisions to the startup, shutdown and malfunction (SSM) to be consistent with

recent court decisions;
o requirements for submitting electronic reporting of performance test results;
o requirements for periodic testing every 5 years; and

o adding flexibility to monitoring requirements for particulate matter controls by
providing an option to use the manufacturer's specifications to establish
pressure drop limits and adjust the temperature limit from the temperature
measured during testing to 120 percent of the measured temperature.

RESIDUAL RISK ASSESSMENT

•	Hazardous air pollutants, also known as toxic air pollutants or air toxics, are known or
suspected to cause cancer or other serious health effects or adverse environmental
effects.

•	The CAA requires EPA to assess the risk remaining after implementation of the original
technology-based air toxics emissions standards. This is known as a residual risk
assessment.

•	Based on the completed risk assessment, available health information and associated
uncertainties, EPA determined risks from the Asphalt Processing and Asphalt Roofing
Manufacturing source categories are acceptable and the NESHAP provides an ample
margin of safety to protect public health.

TECHNOLOGY REVIEW

•	The CAA requires EPA to assess, review and revise air toxics standards, as necessary,
taking into account developments in practices, processes and control technologies. The

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technology review of the standards for Asphalt Processing and Asphalt Roofing
Manufacturing facilities did not identify any developments that would further reduce
HAP emissions beyond the original NESHAP.

BACKGROUND

•	The CAA requires EPA to regulate toxic air pollutants from categories of industrial
facilities in two phases.

•	The first phase is "technology-based," where EPA develops standards for controlling the
emissions of air toxics from sources in an industry group or "source category." These
maximum achievable control technology (MACT) standards are based on emissions
levels that are already being achieved by the best-controlled and lower-emitting sources
in an industry.

•	Within eight years of setting the MACT standards, the CAA directs EPA to assess the
remaining health risks from each source category to determine whether the MACT
standards protect public health with an ample margin of safety and protect against
adverse environmental effects. This second phase is a "risk-based" approach called
residual risk. Here, EPA must determine whether more health-protective standards are
necessary.

•	Also, every eight years after setting MACT standards, the CAA requires EPA to review
and revise the standards, if necessary, to account for improvements in air pollution
controls and/or prevention.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

•	Interested parties can download a copy of the final rule notice from EPA's website at the
following address: https://www.epa.gov/stationary-sources-air-pollution/asphalt-
processing-and-aspha It-roofing-manufacturing-national.

•	Today's action and other background information are also available either electronically
at https://www.regulations.gov. EPA's electronic public docket and comment system, or
in hard copy at the EPA Docket Center's Public Reading Room.

o The Public Reading Room is located at the EPA Headquarters Library, room
number 3334 in the WJC West Building, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW,

Washington, DC. Hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard
Time, Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays.

o Visitors are required to show photographic identification, pass through a metal
detector and sign the EPA visitor log. All visitor materials will be processed
through an X-ray machine as well. Visitors will be provided a badge that must be
visible at all times.

o Materials for this final action can be accessed using Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OAR-2017-0662.

•	For further technical information about the rule, contact Tonisha Dawson, EPA's Office
of Air Quality Planning and Standards, at (919) 541-1454 or dawson.tonisha@epa.gov.

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