National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Polyvinyl Chloride and Copolymer Production Reconsideration; New Major Source Process Wastewater Standards
Key claim: New major polyvinyl chloride production facilities are no longer required to meet a separate wastewater emission limit or testing requirements for non-vinyl chloride organic air pollutants, as EPA has established that vinyl chloride standards will serve as a surrogate.
Abstract
(Rule · Environmental Protection Agency) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing amendments to the national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants (NESHAP) for the Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) and Copolymer Production source category (“PVC NESHAP”) under Clean Air Act (CAA) section 112. For new major sources, the EPA is finalizing the removal of the total non-vinyl chloride organic hazardous air pollutant (HAP) process wastewater emission limit and the associated testing, monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements. The EPA is also finalizing that the new major source vinyl chloride emission limit acts as a surrogate for non-vinyl chloride organic HAP emissions from process wastewater. The EPA is not taking final action on other aspects of the reconsideration proposal at this time.
Why this matters
This final rule reduces separate wastewater-related air-toxics compliance requirements for new major PVC production sources while retaining vinyl chloride standards as a surrogate for other organic hazardous air pollutants. The finding does not quantify compliance savings or changes in emissions or health outcomes, so removing separate limits and testing should not itself be treated as evidence of those outcomes.