Focus on metal finishing and P2 by Mary Werner

Metal finishing wastes: why are we concerned? by SA Rehder, PE

NY's Strategic Goals Program for Metal Finishers by DJ Lucia, PE

Anoplate: stewardship, involvement, success by MF Stevenson, ME Florczykowski

SGP—a municipal perspective by P Heckler PE and R LaGrotta PE

Governor's awards for pollution prevention by C Montes

Direct discharge of treated metal finishing wastewater by JM Harrington PE

Metal products and machinery, proposed rule by V Wong

Pollution Prevention Unit works with metal finishers by C O'Brien

Metal finishing wastes: why are we concerned? by M Gampel

Wild and scenic

Voices from the field

People and places

Partnering by A Zabinski

Executive director's message by P Cerro-Rehill

Winter 2000 — Vol. 30, No. 4

Metal products and machinery, proposed rule

by Virginia Wong

 

Who does the proposed rule affect? In general, the MP&M rule covers facilities that manufacture, rebuild, or maintain metal products, parts, or machines. Eighteen industrial sectors, among others, potentially will be regulated:   Aerospace Aircraft, bus and truck Electronic equipment Hardware Household equipment Instruments Job shops Mobile industrial equipment Motor vehicles Office machines Ordinance Precious metals and jewelry Printed wiring boards Railroad, ships and boats Stationary industrial equipment Miscellaneous metal products   This list is not intended to be exhaustive but a guide. The proposed rule also covers municipalities and federal facilities that perform activities in the MP&M sectors.

On October 31, 2000 the USEPA Administrator signed a proposed new rule for effluent limitations guidelines for the metal products and machinery (MP&M) point source category. Many metal finishers may be affected by these regulations. This new rule has been submitted for publication in the Federal Register. After publication (which may have occurred by the time this article appears in CLEARWATERS), the proposed rule will be available for public comment for 120 days.

Click here for the Federal Register.

The MP&M rulemaking is scheduled to be finished by December 31, 2002. When final, the regulation will establish technology-based effluent limitations guidelines and pretreatment standards for wastewater discharges associated with the operation of new and existing metal products and machinery facilities. USEPA estimates that compliance with this regulation will reduce discharge of a significant amount of pollutants.

Currently, thirteen regulations with guidelines for metals-related industry effluent are in force. They cover metal manufacturing; metal forming and component finishing such as the electroplating, metal finishing, iron and steel manufacturing; and metal molding and casting categories. USEPA recognizes that in some cases unit operations performed in industries covered by the existing effluent guidelines are the same as unit operations that will be covered by the MP&M rule. In general, when unit operations and their associated wastewater discharges are already covered by an effluent guideline, the operations will remain covered under that effluent guideline. The MP&M rule, however, has some exceptions: for many facilities the existing electroplating (40 CFR 413) and metal finishing (40 CFR 433) effluent guidelines will be replaced by the proposed MP&M rule.
 

Details of the regs: who's covered USEPA is proposing to replace the existing Electroplating and Metal Finishing effluent guidelines with the MP&M regulations. The proposed rule will affect all facilities in the following subcategories:   - Printed Wiring Board - Metal Finishing Job Shop.   When a facility covered by an existing metals effluent guideline (other than Electroplating or Metal Finishing) discharges wastewater from unit operations not covered by that guideline but covered under MP&M, the facility must comply with both regulations.   USEPA is also proposing specific flow cut-offs for indirect discharges in two subcategories. The MP&M rule will exclude:   - Facilities in the General Metals subcategory discharging less than 1 million gal/yr - Facilities in the Oily Wastes subcategory discharging less than 2 million gal/yr   For example, existing facilities (excluding Metal Finishing Job Shops and Printed Wiring Board Manufacturers) that are currently covered by 40 CFR 413 or 40 CFR 433 and are indirect dischargers that introduce less than or equal to 1 million gal/yr to a POTW will not be covered by the MP&M rule. They will remain covered by 40 CFR 413 or CFR 433.   To determine whether your facility is regulated by this proposal, please carefully examine the applicability criteria detailed in the proposed rule.

Look for additional announcements from USEPA regarding the MP&M proposed rule. USEPA will be holding public meetings and pretreatment hearings for the proposed rule on the following schedule: February 6, 2001 in Oakland, CA; February 13, 2001 in Dallas, TX; and February 22, 2001 in Washington, DC.
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Virginia Wong is the Regional Pretreatment Coordinator of USEPA Region 2. She directs, coordinates, and oversees the entire pretreatment program in Region 2. Phone 212-937-4241.
 

For further information, please visit USEPA's web site.

Additional contacts: Michael Ebner Asst MP&M Project Manager at 202-260-5397 or Shari Barash MP&M Project Manager at 202-260-7130.