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Show EPA'S P ~ OPOSED HAZARDOUS WASTE COMBUS~ION REGULATIONS By Robert Holloway, Chief , Combustion Section, Office of Solid Waste, U. S. EPA November 2, 1987* The Environmental Protection Aqency (EPA) is in the midst of a program to significan t ly strengther. regulations governing burning of hazardous waste. On May 6, 1987, the Agency proposed regulations to control emissions of organic compounds, met als , and hydrogen chloride from boilers and industrial furnaces burning hazardous waste for energy or materials recovery. Those regulations were specifically mandated by Section 3004(q) of the Hazardous and Solid waste Amendments of 1984. In addition, the Aqency is scheduled to propose amendments to the hazardous waste incinerator standards of Subpart 0, 40 CFR Part ~64 in early 1988. The proposed amendments would strengthen the existing standards to control emissions of products of incomplete combustion (PICs) and metals. This paper is a summary of the Agency's thinking on those rulemakings. 5-oiler and Lndustri ....l · Furnace l"'toposed Rules The May 6, 1987, proposed rules for boilers and industrial furnaces burning hazardous waste (see 52 FR 16982-17050) would regulate these devices in a number of ways like incinerators are currently regulated. Destruction of organic compounds would be demonstrated during a trial burn and the "general facility standards" applicable to incinerators (e.g., personnel training, emergency procedures, financial liability) would also apply. The proposed standards would differ from the incinerator standards, however, in several ways, as follows. PIC Controls. Emissions of products of incomplete combustion (PICs) would be controlled by limiting flue gas levels of carbon monoxide (CO) to less than 100 ppmv (average during any 60 minute period (rolling average), dry gas basis, and corrected to 7% oxygen), thus assuring the boiler or furnace operated at high combustion efficiency when burning hazardous waste. Although flue gas CO limits are a permit condition for hazardous waste incinerators, the CO levels are established as those that occur during the trial burn. In the absence of data that demonstrates that the risk from PICs is not significant when hazardous waste combustion devices are operated at low combustion efficiency as evidenced by high CO levels, we believe that it is prudent to make a resonable effort to limit CO levels. Field test data demonstrate that boilers can meet a 99.99% destruction and removal • Presented by D. Trenholm, ~idwest Research Institute, at the International Symposium on Incineration of Hazardous, Municipal, and Othe~ Wastes, Palm Springs, California. |