EPA issues final NESHAP rule for secondary aluminum production

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has updated national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants to account for changes to the secondary aluminum production category. Secondary aluminum production facilities include those with an aluminum scrap shredder or with a sweat furnace. The new requirements apply to aluminum scrap shredders at major-source facilities and to sweat furnaces at major- and at area-source facilities. The changes went into effect Sept. 18, 2015.

The compliance date for the final amendments listed in 40 CFR 63.1501(b) for existing secondary aluminum production affected sources is March 16, 2016. The compliance date for the final amendments listed in 40 CFR 63.1501(c) for existing affected sources is Sept. 18, 2017. Owners or operators of new affected sources that began construction or reconstruction after Feb. 14, 2012, must comply with all of the requirements listed in 40 CFR 63.1501(b) and (c) by Sept. 18, 2015, or upon startup, whichever is later, according to the final rule.

This EPA says it finalized the residual risk and technology review (RTR) and the rule review it conducted for the secondary aluminum production source category regulated under national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants (NESHAP).

With the rulemaking, the EPA finalizes several amendments to NESHAP based on the rule review. These final amendments include a requirement to report performance testing through the Electronic Reporting Tool (ERT); provisions allowing owners and operators to change furnace classifications; requirements to account for unmeasured emissions during compliance testing for group 1 furnaces that do not have add-on control devices; alternative compliance options for the operating and monitoring requirements for sweat furnaces; compliance provisions for hydrogen fluoride; provisions addressing emissions during periods of startup, shutdown and malfunction (SSM); and other corrections and clarifications to the applicability, definitions, operating, monitoring and performance testing requirements.

EPA says these changes will improve the monitoring, compliance and implementation of the rule.