EPA adds new HAPs to hazardous waste combustor requirements

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized the residual risk and technology review of the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) from Hazardous Waste Combustors (HWCs). Most significantly, the final rule:

• Maintains the existing standards;
• Adds requirements for previously unregulated hazardous air pollutants from specific major source HWCs; and
• Establishes work practice standards for periods of startup, shutdown, and malfunction (SSM).

Who’s impacted?

EPA’s final rule applies to major sources subject to the HWC NESHAP at 40 CFR 63 Subpart EEE, including:

• Hazardous waste-burning incinerators,
• Cement kilns,
• Lightweight aggregate kilns,
• Solid fuel-fired boilers,
• Liquid fuel-fired boilers, and
• Hydrochloric acid production furnaces.

What are the changes?

The final rule adds standards for hydrogen fluoride (HF) and hydrogen cyanide (HCN) emissions to specific sources:

The final rule also:

• Establishes work practice standards for periods of SSM;
• Requires electronic reporting for specific reports (e.g., compliance progress reports, performance tests, Notifications of Compliance); and
• Makes technical changes.

What’s the compliance timeline?

Existing HWCs must:

• Develop, submit to the regulatory authority for approval, and implement SSM plans and start complying with SSM requirements by November 30, 2026;
• Comply with any applicable HF and HCN emission limits and work practice standards by June 3, 2029; and
• Begin electronic reporting by August 3, 2026.

New HWCs must comply upon startup.

Key to remember: EPA's final rule maintains the existing NESHAP regulations for hazardous waste combustors and establishes emission limits and work practice standards for previously unregulated HAPs.