D.C. Circuit Court Ruling Issues Another Blow to EPA.In a decision that could affect the way standards are determined for hazardous air pollutants pollutants see environmental pollution. (HAP HAP. An old word which signifies to catch; as, "to hap the rent," to hap the deed poll." Techn. Dict. h.t. ), the federal appeals court struck down EPA's requirements for emissions from hazardous waste Hazardous waste Any solid, liquid, or gaseous waste materials that, if improperly managed or disposed of, may pose substantial hazards to human health and the environment. Every industrial country in the world has had problems with managing hazardous wastes. combustion units. In the decision, Cement Kiln Cement kilns are used for the pyroprocessing stage of manufacture of Portland and other types of hydraulic cement, in which calcium carbonate reacts with silica-bearing minerals to form a mixture of calcium silicates. Recycling Coalition v EPA EPA eicosapentaenoic acid. EPA abbr. eicosapentaenoic acid EPA, n.pr See acid, eicosapentaenoic. EPA, n. , the U.S. Court of Appeals for Washington, D.C. vacated the Hazardous Waste Combustion maximum achievable control technology (MACT MACT Maximum Achievable Control Technology MACT Maximum Available Control Technology MACT Men of All Colors Together MACT Minnesota Association of Community Theatres MACT Maulana Azad College of Technology (Bhopal, India) ) rule issued in September 1999. The court ruled that the standards violate the Clean Air Act "because they fail to reflect the emissions achieved in practice by the best-performing courses." The rule was sent back to EPA to rewrite re·write v. re·wrote , re·writ·ten , re·writ·ing, re·writes v.tr. 1. To write again, especially in a different or improved form; revise. 2. it. This case is of interest to the foundry industry because the decision could have an impact on the Iron and Steel MACT standards under development at EPA. In addition, some thermal reclamation units operating in brass and bronze foundries might be subject to the requirements of the Combustion MACT now being rewritten. The 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments required the agency to set HAP emission limits for certain industry sectors based on the emissions from the best-performing 12% of sources in each industry category. In setting the standards for the hazardous waste combustors, EPA set the minimum standards for existing sources, or MACT floor, at the worst level achieved by any source in the top 12% of the industry. The court ruled that standards based on the worst performance of the top 12% do not reflect a reasonable estimate of the level of emissions that can be achieved in practice at the best-performing sources. As a result of the ruling, the assumption is that emission limitations under the Hazardous Waste Combustion MACT will become more stringent. In addition, the industry is concerned that other MACT standards currently under development, such as the Iron and Steel Foundry MACT, may be subject to a new methodology that will result in more restrictive requirements. Publication of the proposed Iron and Steel MACT rule in the Federal Regi ster is expected this fall. |
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