EPA Finalizes Amendments and Responds to Comments on Air Toxics Regulation

(2/2/06) EPA finalized amendments to its air toxics regulations for the plywood and composite wood products industry that will streamline requirements for demonstrating that an individual facility poses a low risk to public health. In the same action, EPA finalized its reconsideration of certain aspects of the final rule in response to a petition filed by the Natural Resources Defense Council and Environmental Integrity Project.

The final amendments allow facilities to use approved emissions estimates rather than conduct emissions tests for some hard-to-test units, and allow facilities to demonstrate they are low-risk at any time, either before or after the compliance date. The amendments will not affect the impact of the standards.

EPA also announced its response to comments from the environmental groups’ petition which asked EPA to reconsider nine aspects of the final regulation. After carefully considering the comments that were submitted as a result of this reconsideration process, EPA has concluded that all reconsidered aspects of the final regulation are properly supported and justified and that no changes are warranted.

Since 1990, EPA has issued 96 standards covering emissions from 174 industry source categories. By 2007, these regulations will eliminate 1.7 million tons of air toxics every year.

EPA estimates that the July 2004 final regulation will reduce air toxics emissions from the manufacturing of plywood and composite wood products by 11,000 tons per year, a 58 percent decrease from 1997 levels. The final regulation also will reduce volatile organic compound emissions by 27,000 tons per year, a 52 percent decrease from 1997 levels.

The plywood and composite wood products industry manufactures plywood and veneer, particleboard, medium density fiberboard, hardboard, fiberboard, oriented strandboard and engineered wood products. For more information on this action visit: www.epa.gov/ttn/oarpg/t3/fact_sheets/plywoodamendreconfinalfs.html

Contact Information

John Millett

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

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