The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed cost-saving amendments to clean-air rules for the Portland cement manufacturing industry that went final in 2010.聽 Most notably, the proposal would give operators of cement manufacturing plants that use Portland kilns more time to meet the new 2010 requirements.聽 It also would revise certain emissions limits and monitoring requirements that apply to those kilns, thereby providing more compliance flexibilities and options.
The proposed amendments apply to two rules that EPA finalized in 2010: National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP), which apply to all kilns (new and existing), and New Source Performance Standards (NSPS), which apply only to new kilns. EPA鈥檚 proposal would (1) adjust the way cement kiln owners measure and monitor particulate matter emissions; (2) raise the allowable emissions levels for particulates; and (3) and extend the deadline by two years 鈥 from September 2013 to September 2015 鈥 for existing cement kilns to comply with the 2010 rules.聽 The proposed extended compliance date would apply to emissions of particulates, mercury, total hydrocarbons and hydrogen chloride.
In addition, the proposal would鈥
- Revise the open clinker pile standards by allowing facilities to choose from a list of work practices to control fugitive emissions.
- Change the alternative emission limit for organic air toxics; kilns may meet this limit in lieu of meeting a limit for total hydrocarbons.