FACT SHEET

Final Amendments to Air Toxics Standards for Solvent Extraction for Vegetable Oil

Production

ACTION

•	On February 25, 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized
amendments to the 2001 Solvent Extraction for Vegetable Oil Production National
Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP).

•	The Solvent Extraction for Vegetable Oil Production NESHAP applies to facilities that
produce vegetable oil from a variety of oilseeds such as soybeans, cottonseed,
rapeseed, corn germ, sunflower, safflower, peanuts and flax.

•	Following a residual risk and technology review conducted under the Clean Air Act
(CAA), EPA is finalizing minor amendments to:

o revise the startup, shutdown and malfunction language to be consistent with the
most recent court decisions and finalize work practices that would apply during
initial startup periods; and
o require facilities to submit electronic copies of compliance reports, including
performance tests.

•	This action applies to emission units covered under the NESHAP, including equipment
comprising the continuous process for producing crude vegetable oil and meal products,
and specialty soybean products in which oil is removed from oilseeds.

RESIDUAL RISK ASSESSMENT

•	The CAA requires EPA to assess the risk remaining after application of the final air toxics
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 vegetable oil production sector to be
acceptable and provide an ample margin of safety to protect public health.

•	The maximum individual cancer risk for inhalation for the source category is estimated
to be less than 1-in-l million.

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 since
the standards were first issued.

•	The technology assessment for vegetable oil production did not identify any
technological developments to reduce emissions of hazardous air pollutants.

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BACKGROUND

•	The CAA requires EPA to regulate hazardous air pollutants, also known as toxic air
pollutants or air toxics, 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 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 that EPA review
and revise the standards, if necessary, to account for improvements in air pollution
controls and/or prevention.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

•	To download a copy of the final rule notice, go to EPA's website at
https://www.epa.gov/stationarv-sources-air-pollution/solvent-extraction-vegetable-oil-
production-national-emission.

•	Today's action notice and other background information are also available either
electronically at https://www.regulations.gov/. EPA's electronic public docket and
comment system, or in hardcopy 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 Avenue, 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-
2019-0208.

•	For further technical information about the rule contact Bill Schrock, at the EPA's Office
of Air Quality Planning and Standards, at (919) 541-5032 or schrock.bill@epa.gov.

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