Maximum Achievable Control Technology Research Articles

Hazardous air pollutant emissions implications under 2018 guidance on U.S. Clean Air Act requirements for major sources

ABSTRACT On January 25, 2018, the United States Environmental Protection Agency withdrew a 1995 policy that mandates the use of maximum achievable control technology (MACT) to regulate emissions from major sources of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), a category of toxic chemicals that may be carcinogenic, mutagenic, or cause other adverse health effects. To better understand the implications and scope of the change in regulatory guidance for HAP emissions of major sources that may reclassify as area sources, the increase in emissions that could legally occur under the new policy is assessed here. Based on facility-level data from a 2014 HAP national emissions inventory, it is estimated that 70% of major sources of HAPs qualify for reclassification as area sources, which could result in a maximum of 35,030 tons per year (tpy) of additional HAP emissions if all sources successfully reclassified. This amount would nearly triple the total volume of HAPs that qualifying major sources emitted in 2014. On average, qualifying sources could emit individually an additional 18.4 tpy. In the 21 states and territories that follow only federal guidelines for controlling HAPs, it is more likely that the estimates presented here could materialize compared to states that have additional guidelines for area sources of HAPs. The quantitative analysis of the potential emission changes resulting from regulatory change is instructive for industry, state and federal decisionmakers, and interested members of the public looking to understand and anticipate how relevant stakeholders will be affected by this policy change. Implications: Withdrawal of a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency policy that mandates the use of maximum achievable control technology (MACT) to regulate emissions from major sources of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) could result in higher emissions of toxic chemicals that may be carcinogenic, mutagenic, or cause other adverse health effects. Analysis of potential emission changes resulting from regulatory change is instructive for industry, state, and federal decisionmakers, and interested members of the public looking to understand and anticipate how relevant stakeholders will be affected by this policy change.

Environmental monitoring and benchmarking of VCM airborne emissions for a major PVC plant in Taiwan with 15 PVC plants in the USA

Vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) is classified as group 1 carcinogenic to humans by the International Agency for Research for Cancer (IARC). In 2012, USEPA promulgated a new VCM emission standard as part of National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and copolymer plants. The standard was set by benchmarking of peer plants with maximum achievable control technology (MACT). This study performs an emission assessment of a world-class PVC plant in Taiwan according to the MACT analysis. The emission data obtained were then benchmarked with baseline emission estimates of 15 PVC plants in the USA. Results of this study show seven types of VCM emissions: stripped resin of suspension/dispersion, wastewater, process vent, heat-exchange system, storage tank, equipment leaks, and other sources (gasholder). All the emission factors are complied with their MACT emission limitations (MEL) and ranked either #1 or #2 among the 15 plants. They are also summed and benchmarked against the production capacity of each plant, showing a negative power function with a fair correlation (R2 = 0.73). Among seven types of emissions, stripped resin contributes the highest (51.7%) by average emission factor of the 15 plants plus this study plant.

ACTUAL PROBLEMS OF POPULATION HEALTH RISKS MANAGEMENT IN RUSSIA

In the article there are defined the main tasks of risk analysis and its main component - risk management, which make it possible to develop economically efficient measures, aimed at the impact reduction of environmental harmful factors for public health based on the analysis of market driven approaches «cost-benefit» and «cost-effectiveness». As well there are emphasized significant fundamental changes in the area of the legislative support of management activity, focused on sanitary and epidemiological welfare of the population. The implementation of risk-focused approach to the practice of means of control and supervision to the government of Russian Federation is an integral part of control reformation system of different nature. The key problems of public health risk management in Russia are defined and the main ways of their solution are discussed. Thus, the development of reliable and scientifically based classifications of hazard level for objects requires clear criteria for supervision of assessing objects. Classes of business entities should reflect the leading risk factors, which discovered in the controlled areas. In the justification of risk from the probability (frequency) of violations of the mandatory requirements of sanitary legislation required the inventory of all consequences of the breach of sanitary legislation for each object of supervision and their ranking according to the degree of hazard. It is pointed out, that the movement towards to the technological regulation of air pollution emissions, including indicators of the Maximum Achievable Control Technology or (MACT) is a progressive management method, which requires an analysis with the use of MACT from the perspective of achieving acceptable risk levels, as well as an assessment of the effectiveness of alternative measures to reduce emissions, including MACT. It was noted, that on the basis of comparative risk analysis, it is possible to assess not only the risk to human health, but also the environmental risk to the ecosystem and its components, as well as the risk associated with the violation of the quality and living conditions. It is seen the interaction of concerned parties in the development of solutions management of health risks from environmental factors.

CEMS Strategy for PC MACT

This paper will discuss the strategy taken by our company, Ash Grove Cement Company, in response to the ever-changing Portland Cement National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants, which is also known as the Portland Cement Maximum Achievable Control Technology, requirements, and compliance dates. The new regulations called for continuous monitoring for mercury, particulate matter, total hydrocarbon emissions, and hydrochloric acid. The company took the strategy to install equipment in anticipation of a September 2013 compliance date and use any additional time that might become available to refine techniques. These installations were being commissioned in the fall of 2012 and early in 2013. This paper discusses the process utilized to design and install various continuous emissions monitoring systems, lessons learned since the installations, and developments on how the industry is attempting to comply with regulations, where the performance specifications still are not fully developed, or the technology is not commercially available to demonstrate compliance.

Carbon Bed Mercury Emissions Control for Mixed Waste Treatment

Mercury has various uses in nuclear fuel reprocessing and other nuclear processes, and so it is often present in radioactive and mixed (radioactive and hazardous) wastes. Compliance with air emission regulations such as the Hazardous Waste Combustor (HWC) Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) standards can require off-gas mercury removal efficiencies up to 99.999% for thermally treating some mixed waste streams. Test programs have demonstrated this level of off-gas mercury control using fixed beds of granular sulfur-impregnated activated carbon. Other results of these tests include (1) the depth of the mercury control mass transfer zone was less than 15–30 cm for the operating conditions of these tests; (2) MERSORB® carbon can sorb mercury up to 19 wt % of the carbon mass; and (3) the spent carbon retained almost all (98.3–99.99%) of the mercury during Toxicity Characteristic Leachability Procedure (TCLP) tests, but when even a small fraction of the total mercury dissolves, the spent carbon can fail the TCLP test when the spent carbon contains high mercury concentrations.

AIR POLLUTION: Mercury Emissions Not Shrinking as Forecast

AIR POLLUTION: Mercury Emissions Not Shrinking as Forecast

Gaseous Emissions from Wastewater Facilities

Saarinen (2003) discussed need internationally agreed principles or a comprehensive strategy for production of emission data at the level of an industrial installation and presented a data production chain principle as a tool for identifying elements that are essential in comparing emission data correctly. Piotrowski (2003) summarized the Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) requirements to control the emissions of hazardous air pollutants (HAP) from select semi-chemical pulp mill process sources to comply with the 40 CFR Part 63, Subpart S. Oinonen (2003) discussed the status of the latest European paper mills which have achieved advances in effluent water treatment. The European Union has passed Directives on emissions as well as recommendations for further reductions in water use. Some recent projects in Europe can serve as benchmarks for fresh water use and wastewater treatment.

Efforts to develop regulations in Korea similar to the US maximum achievable control technology (MACT) regulations for hazardous waste incinerators

The development of regulations patterned after the United States’ requirement for maximum achievable control technology (MACT) to control hazardous air pollutants from major industrial sources in Korea is in progress. Current management practices and installed air pollution control devices were surveyed; emission tests and continuous emission data collected from facilities under operation were assessed considering other MACT requirements such as reporting, report keeping requirements. Emission sampling and air pollutant analysis were carried out at representative hazardous waste incinerators installed with wet-type and dry-type air pollution control devices. Korean and United States Environmental Protection Agency methods were used for sampling and analysis. The major heavy metals emitted were Zn, Ni, Pb, and Cr. The heavy metal removal efficiency of existing air pollution control devices was greater than 99%. The average mercury removal efficiency was more than 30%. Toluene; m,p-xylene; o-xylene; benzene; dichloromethane; styrene; ethylbenzene; 1,3-dichlorobenzene; and 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene were the major volatile organic compounds emitted. The emissions from field tests were compared, reviewed, and analyzed with respect to MACT regulations to check applicability. Finally, draft guidelines were suggested for effective hazardous air pollutant management in Korea.

Hazardous air pollutants emission from coal and oil‐fired power plants

AbstractHazardous air pollutants (HAPs) emission characteristics from coal (anthracite, bituminous) and oil‐fired power plants were studied in order to control pollutants by formulating US maximum achievable control technology (MACT)‐like regulation in Korea. Sampling and analysis were carried out according to either Korean standard test method or US EPA method. Relatively lower levels of NOx and SOx were emitted from plants burning bituminous than the anthracite coal. Less dust was emitted from oil‐fired power plants. Mercury, lead, and chromium were dominant in coal‐fired power plants, following which, nickel and chromium were emitted from oil‐fired power plants. The major volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from coal‐fired plants were 1,2‐dichloroethane, benzene, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, trichloro‐ethylene. The emission of mercury and other heavy metals in flue gas was attributed to fuel types, operating conditions, residence time in the control devices and air pollution control devices configuration. After emission tests in the field and on analysis of the continuous emission monitoring data collected from facilities under operation and consideration of other various factors, management guidelines will be suggested with special reference to US MACT‐like regulation. Copyright © 2009 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Mercury Emissions Control from Existing Utility and Industrial Boilers

Industrial, commercial, and institutional (ICI) boilers are one of the major sources of hazardous air pollutants (HAP), including mercury (Hg). Coal-fired electric power plants constitute the largest point source of anthropogenic Hg in the United States. The primary objective of this paper was to address the mercury side of the boiler maximum achiev- able control technology (MACT) of the national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants (NESHAP). This paper analyzed data collected by a research team at West Virginia University (WVU) as part of a Mercury Emissions Research project. The research focused on solid fuel (coal) fired boilers covered by the industrial boilers MACT. Hg emissions data along with coal and stack analysis were collected through a combination of surveys and personal contact with appropriate individuals at these facilities. The collected data were analyzed to determine the applicability of Hg control technologies to ICI boilers and their emissions reduction capabilities.

Air permitting for hard chromium electroplating facilities based on maximum achievable control technology (MACT) standard

Air permitting for hard chromium electroplating facilities based on maximum achievable control technology (MACT) standard

Validation of Three New Methods for Determination of Metal Emissions Using a Modified Environmental Protection Agency Method 301

Three new methods applicable to the determination of hazardous metal concentrations in stationary source emissions were developed and evaluated for use in U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) compliance applications. Two of the three independent methods, a continuous emissions monitor-based method (Xact) and an X-ray-based filter method (XFM), are used to measure metal emissions. The third method involves a quantitative aerosol generator (QAG), which produces a reference aerosol used to evaluate the measurement methods. A modification of EPA Method 301 was used to validate the three methods for As, Cd, Cr, Pb, and Hg, representing three hazardous waste combustor Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) metal categories (low volatile, semivolatile, and volatile). The modified procedure tested the methods using more stringent criteria than EPA Method 301; these criteria included accuracy, precision, and linearity. The aerosol generation method was evaluated in the laboratory by comparing actual with theoretical aerosol concentrations. The measurement methods were evaluated at a hazardous waste combustor (HWC) by comparing measured with reference aerosol concentrations. The QAG, Xact, and XFM met the modified Method 301 validation criteria. All three of the methods demonstrated precisions and accuracies on the order of 5%. In addition, correlation coefficients for each method were on the order of 0.99, confirming the methods’ linear response and high precision over a wide range of concentrations. The measurement methods should be applicable to emissions from a wide range of sources, and the reference aerosol generator should be applicable to additional analytes. EPA recently approved an alternative monitoring petition for an HWC at Eli Lilly’s Tippecanoe site in Lafayette, IN, in which the Xact is used for demonstrating compliance with the HWC MACT metal emissions (low volatile, semivolatile, and volatile). The QAG reference aerosol generator was approved as a method for providing a quantitative reference aerosol, which is required for certification and continuing quality assurance of the Xact.

The Challenges of Air Pollution and Residual Risk Assessment

The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 authorized the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to promulgate and implement technology-based standards on emissions of 188 hazardous air pollutants. These emission limits were to reflect the maximum achievable control technology (MACT) for categories of source. Although the MACT standards have resulted in a significant reduction of toxic air emissions, an assessment of the residual risk of toxic air emissions from MACT-regulated sources is needed to determine whether further controls are needed. This article discusses the problems associated with air pollution, and describes steps taken by the EPA to develop a risk assessment methodology that evaluates the residual health risks and ecological effects associated with exposure to toxic air pollutants from different source categories. The method, called total risk integrated methodology, depends upon a dispersion model to assess human exposure to toxic compounds.

Removal of methanol from pulp and paper mills using combined activated carbon adsorption and photocatalytic regeneration

Methanol is one of the major hazardous air pollutants emitted from chemical pulp mills. Its collection and treatment is required by the Maximum Achievable Control Technology portion of the 1998 Cluster Rule. The objective of this study is to investigate the technical feasibility of combined adsorption and photocatalytic regeneration for the removal and destruction of methanol. To facilitate the regeneration, activated carbon (AC) was coated with commercially available photocatalyst by a spray desiccation method. Laboratory-scale experiments were conducted in a fixed-bed reactor equipped with an 8 W black light UV lamp (peak wavelength at 365 nm) at the center. The photocatalyst loaded onto AC had no significant impact on the adsorption capacity of the carbon. High humidity was found to greatly reduce the material’s capacity in the adsorption and simultaneous adsorption and photocatalytic oxidation of methanol. The photocatalytic regeneration process is limited by the desorption of the adsorbate. Increasing desorption rate by using purge air greatly increased the regeneration capacity. When the desorption rate was greater than the photocatalytic oxidation rate, however, part of the methanol was directly desorbed without degradation.

Power plays

Power plays

Gaseous Emissions from Wastewater Facilities

Saarinen (2003) discussed need internationally agreed principles or a comprehensive strategy for production of emission data at the level of an industrial installation and presented a data production chain principle as a tool for identifying elements that are essential in comparing emission data correctly. Piotrowski (2003) summarized the Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) requirements to control the emissions of hazardous air pollutants (HAP) from select semi-chemical pulp mill process sources to comply with the 40 CFR Part 63, Subpart S. Oinonen (2003) discussed the status of the latest European paper mills which have achieved advances in effluent water treatment. The European Union has passed Directives on emissions as well as recommendations for further reductions in water use. Some recent projects in Europe can serve as benchmarks for fresh water use and wastewater treatment.

Ashland expands low styrene marine range

ASHLAND Specialty Chemical Company has expanded its range of low styrene marine resins to help boat builders meet US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) standards. This is a short news story only. Visit www.reinforcedplastics.com for the latest plastics industry news.

Mercury in The Environment: A Volatile Problem

However, these different parties dis-agree about how mercury should be reg-ulated. The controversy is likely to growthrough December 2004, which is thedeadline for the U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency (EPA) to regulateemissions following the maximumachievable control technology (MACT)provisions of the Clean Air Act.

Evolution of hazardous waste combustors MACT standards

AbstractThis year, on July 24, the DC Circuit Court ruled that the EPA had not correctly derived emission standards, and vacated the MACT (Maximum Achievable Control Technology) rule for Hazardous Waste Combustors (HWC) [1, 2]. A major complaint, voiced by the Sierra Club, was that the MACT methodology was misapplied in a manner that produced overly lenient standards. Industry and trade associations argued just the opposite. The Sierra Club won the first round when the court agreed that the emission standards should be based on the average of the best‐performing 12% of units in each category.The next question was, “What will be the regulations until the final standards can be developed?” This caused considerable angst because, if no standards were in place by May 15, 2002, control would revert to case‐by‐case permits by Federal and State regulatory agencies as set forth in Section 112 of the Clean Air Act. Obviously, that would be the antithesis of the Congressional mandate and the objectives of environmental groups. The Sierra Club and most litigants did not want the uncertainties and inconsistencies this would introduce.

Air Pollution from Secondary Aluminum Production: Determining the Applicability of MACT Requirements

AbstractEPA's Maximum Achievable Control Technology rule for secondary aluminum production is intended to substantially reduce emissions of hazardous air pollutants. It may also impose significant costs on affected facilities. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.