WASHINGTON, D.C. — Representatives of the International Fabricare Institute (IFI) and Halogenated Solvents Industry Alliance (HSIA) met recently with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials to get clarifications on the revised National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) regulations for perchloroethylene drycleaning published last July.
The clarifications will save drycleaners $300 to $400 per year by eliminating a requirement to purchase equipment for measuring perc vapors inside drycleaning machines’ drums, IFI says. EPA will issue formal clarifications soon; in the mean time, state environmental agencies may not be fully aware of the changes, IFI says.
The clarifications apply to “area source” facilities not colocated with other businesses or residences; colocated plants are governed by other rules. First, perc monitoring inside drycleaning machines will only be required of major sources — plants purchasing more than 2,000 gallons of perc per year. Area sources must still perform monthly leak detections with a halogenated hydrocarbon detector.
Area sources also are no longer required to record temperatures on refrigerated condensers unless the equipment does not feature a pressure gauge. Other plants must record readings from their refrigeration systems’ pressure gauges.
Third-generation equipment in use prior to Dec. 21, 2005, may be moved from one location to another without upgrade. If the third-generation equipment was installed prior to Dec. 21, 2005, it can be used for the life of the equipment or until repairs would constitute 50% of its original cost. If the third-generation equipment was installed after Dec. 21, 2005, it must be retrofitted with secondary carbon adsorption immediately, EPA says.
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