The provisions of this subpart are applicable to discharges and to the introduction of pollutants into publicly owned treatment works resulting from sintering operations conducted by the heating of iron bearing wastes (mill scale and dust from blast furnaces and steelmaking furnaces) together with fine iron ore, limestone, and coke fines in an ignition furnace to produce an agglomerate for charging to the blast furnace.

As used in this subpart:

(a) For the sintering subcategory, the term product means sinter agglomerated from iron-bearing materials.

(b) The term dry air pollution control system means an emission control system that utilizes filters to remove iron-bearing particles (fines) from blast furnace or sintering off-gases.

(c) The term minimum level (ML) means the level at which the analytical system gives recognizable signals and an acceptable calibration point. For 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran, the minimum level is 10 pg/L per EPA Method 1613B for water and wastewater samples.

(d) The term pg/L means picograms per liter (ppt = 1.0 × 10-12 gm/L).

(e) The term sintering means a process for agglomerating iron-bearing materials into small pellets (sinter) that can be charged to a blast furnace.

(f) The term wet air pollution control system means an emission control system that utilizes water to clean process or furnace off-gases.

Except as provided in 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32, any existing point source subject to this subpart must achieve the following effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best practicable control technology currently available (BPT).

(a) Sintering operations with wet air pollution control system. The following table presents BPT limitations for sintering operations with wet air pollution control systems:

(b) Sintering operations with dry air pollution control system. There shall be no discharge of process wastewater pollutants to waters of the U.S.

Except as provided in 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32, any existing point source subject to this subpart must achieve the following effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available control technology economically achievable (BAT).

(a) Sintering operations with wet air pollution control system. The following table presents BAT limitations for sintering operations with wet air pollution control systems:

(b) Sintering operations with dry air pollution control system. There shall be no discharge of process wastewater pollutants to waters of the U.S.

New sources subject to this subpart must achieve the following new source performance standards (NSPS), as applicable.

(a) Any new source subject to the provisions of this section that commenced discharging after November 18, 1992 and before November 18, 2002 must continue to achieve the applicable standards specified in § 420.24 of title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations, revised as of July 1, 2001, except that after the expiration of the applicable time period specified in 40 CFR 122.29(d)(1), the source must also achieve the effluent limitations specified in § 420.23 for 2,3,7,8-TCDF.

(b) The following standards apply with respect to each new source that commences construction after November 18, 2002.

(1) Sintering operations with wet air pollution control system. The following table presents NSPS for sintering operations with wet air pollution control systems:

(2) Sintering operations with dry air pollution control system. There shall be no discharge of process wastewater pollutants to waters of the U.S.

Except as provided in 40 CFR 403.7 and 403.13, any existing source subject to this subpart that introduces pollutants into a publicly owned treatment works must comply with 40 CFR part 403 and must achieve the following pretreatment standards for existing sources (PSES):

(a) Sintering operations with wet air pollution control system. The following table presents PSES for sintering operations with wet air pollution control systems:

(b) Sintering operations with dry air pollution control system. There shall be no discharge of process wastewater pollutants to POTWs.

Except as provided in 40 CFR 403.7, any new source subject to this subpart that introduces pollutants into a publicly owned treatment works must comply with 40 CFR part 403 and must achieve the following pretreatment standards for new sources (PSNS), as applicable.

(a) Sintering operations with wet air pollution control system.

(1) Any new source subject to the provisions of this section that commenced discharging after November 18, 1992 and before November 18, 2002 must continue to achieve the standards specified in § 420.26 of title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations, revised as of July 1, 2001, for ten years beginning on the date the source commenced discharge or during the period of depreciation or amortization of the facility, whichever comes first, after which the source must also achieve the pretreatment standard for 2,3,7,8-TCDF specified in § 420.25.

(2) Except as provided in 40 CFR 403.7, the following standards apply with respect to each new source that commences construction after November 18, 2002: The following table presents PSNS for sintering operations with wet air pollution control systems:

(b) Sintering operations with dry air pollution control system. There shall be no discharge of process wastewater pollutants to POTWs.

Compliance with the pretreatment standards for 2,3,7,8-TCDF for existing sources set forth in § 420.25(a) is required not later than October 17, 2005 whether or not the pretreatment authority issues or amends a pretreatment permit requiring such compliance.

(a) Sintering direct dischargers. Pursuant to 40 CFR 122.44(i) and 122.45(h), a direct discharger must demonstrate compliance with the effluent limitations and standards for 2,3,7,8-TCDF at the point after treatment of sinter plant wastewater separately or in combination with blast furnace wastewater, but prior to mixing with process wastewaters from processes other than sintering and ironmaking, non-process wastewaters or non-contact cooling water, if such water(s) are in an amount greater than 5 percent by volume of the sintering process wastewaters.

(b) Sintering indirect dischargers. An indirect discharger must demonstrate compliance with the pretreatment standards for 2,3,7,8-TCDF by monitoring at the point after treatment of sinter plant wastewater separately or in combination with blast furnace wastewater, but prior to mixing with process wastewaters from processes other than sintering and ironmaking, non-process wastewaters and non-contact cooling water in an amount greater than 5 percent by volume of the sintering process wastewaters.