A particulate matter: Stricter emissions limits placed on lead recyclers

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a final rule for New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for secondary lead smelters, which include facilities that recycle lead-bearing scrap material, typically lead acid batteries. The final rule imposes stricter regulations on particulate matter (PM) emissions and adds testing, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements.

Who’s impacted?

Secondary lead smelters subject to the NSPS that were constructed, reconstructed, or modified after June 11, 1973, and on or before December 1, 2022, are regulated by 40 CFR 60 Subpart L. While PM emissions and opacity standards remain the same, the final rule adds these requirements:

• Initial performance tests of PM emissions and opacity,
• Periodic performance tests of PM emissions (every 12 months or every 24 months if conditions are met),
• Electronic submission of performance tests through EPA’s Central Data Exchange,
• Monitoring, and
• Recordkeeping and reporting.

Regulated secondary lead smelters that are constructed, reconstructed, or modified after December 1, 2022, are regulated by the newly added Subpart La, which requires the same additions to Subpart L as well as:

• Stricter PM emissions and opacity standards that apply at all times (including periods of startup, shutdown, and malfunction),
• PM standards for all process fugitive emission sources, and
• Periodic performance tests of opacity.

EPA also added Method 22 as an alternative for showing compliance with opacity standards in efforts to reduce testing burdens.