Effluent guidelines

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Effluent Guidelines (also referred to as Effluent Limitation Guidelines (ELGs)) are U.S. national standards for wastewater discharges to surface waters and publicly owned treatment works (POTW) (also called municipal sewage treatment plants). The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issues Effluent Guideline regulations for categories of industrial sources of water pollution under Title III of the Clean Water Act (CWA). [1] The standards are technology-based, i.e. they are based on the performance of treatment and control technologies (e.g., Best Available Technology). Effluent Guidelines are not based on risk or impacts of pollutants upon receiving waters. [2]

Contents

Since the mid-1970s, EPA has promulgated ELGs for 59 industrial categories, with over 450 subcategories. Effluent Guidelines currently control pollution at approximately 40,000 facilities that discharge directly to the nation's waters, 129,000 facilities that discharge to POTWs, and construction sites. Effluent Guidelines are implemented in water discharge permits issued to facilities through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). [3]

Overview

Regulated pollutants vary by industry category, with effluent limitations typically expressed as mass loadings or concentrations. The regulations cover pollutants for which there are approved analytical testing methods. EPA has published many methods in its regulations, [4] and has approved the use of other methods published by peer-reviewed sources, such as Standard Methods. [5] Although the effluent limitations are based on the performance of control and treatment technologies (and not the impacts to receiving waters), the regulations do not require discharging facilities to use specific technologies. The facilities may choose any technologies to meet the numerical limitations. [3]

In the 1972 CWA Congress specified an initial list of categorical regulations that EPA was required to promulgate. [6] The 1977 CWA amendments provided a list of pollutant and pollutant groups to be considered by the agency in developing regulations. [7] EPA is also required to review and revise regulations as needed, and since 1972 it has promulgated ELGs for 59 industrial categories, with over 450 subcategories. Approximately 40,000 facilities that discharge directly to the nation's waters, 129,000 facilities that discharge to POTWs, and construction sites, are covered by the regulations. The regulations annually prohibit the discharge of 700 billion pounds of pollutants into U.S. surface waters. [8]

The effluent limitations for the Construction and Development category are narrative in format and do not specify numeric pollutant limits. The requirements consist of erosion controls and sediment controls, soil stabilization practices and pollution prevention practices (such as minimizing exposure of building materials, pesticides and other chemicals). [9]

In the early years of the program (1970s-1980s) the agency published analytical methods for a list of 126 "priority pollutants," consisting of various toxic pollutants. Subsequently the agency has issued methods and regulated pollutants beyond those in the initial priority list. [7] [10]

Facilities that directly discharge to "waters of the United States" are required to obtain NPDES permits, and effluent guideline requirements are incorporated into these permits. Indirect dischargers (i.e. facilities discharging to POTWs) are subject to effluent guideline requirements called "Pretreatment Standards." [3] [11]

Existing regulations

This table lists the 59 Effluent Guidelines categories published by EPA. [2]

Category Name40 CFR Initial Promulgation YearMost Recent Update
Airport Deicing44920122012
Aluminum Forming46719831988
Asbestos Manufacturing42719741975
Battery Manufacturing46119841986
Canned and Preserved Fruits and Vegetable Processing40719741976
Canned and Preserved Seafood (Seafood Processing)40819741975
Carbon Black Manufacturing45819761978
Cement Manufacturing41119741974
Centralized Waste Treatment43720002003
Coal Mining43419752002
Coil Coating46519821983
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations41219742008
Concentrated Aquatic Animal Production (Aquaculture)45120042004
Construction and Development45020092014
Copper Forming46819831986
Dairy Products Processing40519741974
Dental Office44120172017
Electrical and Electronic Components46919831983
Electroplating41319741983
Explosives Manufacturing45719761976
Ferroalloy Manufacturing42419741974
Fertilizer Manufacturing41819741975
Glass Manufacturing42619741975
Grain Mills40619741974
Gum and Wood Chemicals Manufacturing45419761976
Hospitals46019761976
Ink Formulating44719751975
Inorganic Chemicals Manufacturing41519821982
Iron and Steel Manufacturing42019742005
Landfills44520002000
Leather Tanning and Finishing42519821996
Meat and Poultry Products43219742004
Metal Finishing43319831986
Metal Molding and Casting (Foundries)46419851985
Metal Products and Machinery43820032003
Mineral Mining and Processing43619751979
Nonferrous Metals Forming and Metal Powders47119851989
Nonferrous Metals Manufacturing42119761990
Oil and Gas Extraction43519752016
Ore Mining and Dressing (Hard Rock Mining)44019751988
Organic Chemicals, Plastics & Synthetic Fibers41419871993
Paint Formulating44619751975
Paving and Roofing Materials (Tars and Asphalt)44319751975
Pesticide Chemicals45519781996
Petroleum Refining41919741982
Pharmaceutical Manufacturing43919762003
Phosphate Manufacturing42219741974
Photographic45919761976
Plastics Molding and Forming46319841984
Porcelain Enameling46619821985
Pulp, Paper and Paperboard43019742002
Rubber Manufacturing42819741974
Soap and Detergent Manufacturing41719741975
Steam Electric Power Generating42319742024
Sugar Processing40919741984
Textile Mills41019741982
Timber Products Processing42919741981
Transportation Equipment Cleaning44220002000
Waste Combustors44420002000

Effluent Guidelines Database

The EPA database supports searching of existing regulations by industry, pollutant, treatment technology or keyword.

Program plans

EPA periodically publishes a list of ongoing and new regulation projects, and a list of categories that it is considering for regulation, in its "Effluent Guidelines Program Plan." Program Plan 15, published in January 2023, announced several regulatory and research projects. According to the agency's "PFAS Strategic Roadmap", it is continuing to evaluate options to reduce discharges of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from a variety of industrial sectors. [12] In this regard EPA has decided that changes to the Landfills regulation (40 CFR part 445) are necessary, to address discharges of PFAS from landfill leachate. [13]

EPA will conduct research on the Textile Mills category (40 CFR part 410) to learn more about its PFAS usage and discharge characteristics. The agency will study PFAS discharged to POTWs by various industries, including categories that have recently been examined. EPA intends to confirm the origins of PFAS wastewater and assist POTWs in determining whether source-level controls are necessary. The Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations Category (40 CFR part 412) will also be investigated. The POTW influent study will include monitoring of the Electrical and Electronic Components Category (40 CFR part 469) for PFAS discharge data even though EPA is not currently seeking additional action for this category. Additionally, EPA will keep an eye on PFAS use and emissions from airports and the Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Category (40 CFR part 430). [13]

See also

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References

  1. United States. Clean Water Act (CWA). CWA section 301(b), 33 U.S.C.   § 1311(b); sec. 304(b), 33 U.S.C.   § 1314(b); sec. 306, 33 U.S.C.   § 1316; sec. 307(b), 33 U.S.C.   § 1317(b), sec. 307(c), 33 U.S.C.   § 1317(c).
  2. 1 2 "Industrial Effluent Guidelines". Washington, D.C.: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 2023-03-08.
  3. 1 2 3 "Learn About Effluent Guidelines". EPA. 2022-09-09.
  4. EPA. "Guidelines Establishing Test Procedures for the Analysis of Pollutants." Code of Federal Regulations, 40 CFR 136
  5. Baird, Rodger B.; Clesceri, Leonore S.; Eaton, Andrew D.; et al., eds. (2017). Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater (23rd ed.). Washington, DC: American Public Health Association. ISBN   9780875532875.
  6. CWA sec. 306(b)(1)(A)
  7. 1 2 "Toxic and Priority Pollutants Under the Clean Water Act". EPA. 2021-07-10.
  8. "Effluent Guidelines Plan". EPA. 2023-01-20.
  9. EPA. "Construction and Development Point Source Category." Code of Federal Regulations, 40 CFR 450
  10. "Clean Water Act Analytical Methods". EPA. 2023-02-22.
  11. "Pretreatment Standards and Requirements-Categorical Pretreatment Standards". EPA. 2022-10-03.
  12. "PFAS Strategic Roadmap: EPA's Commitments to Action 2021-2024". EPA. 2023-04-24.
  13. 1 2 "Current Effluent Guidelines Program Plan". EPA. 2023-03-30.