Regulations last checked for updates: Nov 22, 2024

Title 40 - Protection of Environment last revised: Nov 20, 2024
§ 60.2875 - What definitions must I know?

Terms used but not defined in this subpart are defined in the Clean Air Act and subparts A and B of this part.

30-day rolling average means the arithmetic mean of the previous 720 hours of valid operating data. Valid data excludes periods when this unit is not operating. The 720 hours should be consecutive, but not necessarily continuous if operations are intermittent.

Administrator means the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or his/her authorized representative or Administrator of a State Air Pollution Control Agency.

Agricultural waste means vegetative agricultural materials such as nut and grain hulls and chaff (e.g., almond, walnut, peanut, rice, and wheat), bagasse, orchard prunings, corn stalks, coffee bean hulls and grounds, and other vegetative waste materials generated as a result of agricultural operations.

Air curtain incinerator (ACI) means an incinerator that operates by forcefully projecting a curtain of air across an open chamber or pit in which combustion occurs. Incinerators of this type can be constructed above or below ground and with or without refractory walls and floor. Air curtain incinerators are not to be confused with conventional combustion devices with enclosed fireboxes and controlled air technology such as mass burn, modular, and fluidized bed combustors.

Annual heat input means the heat input for the 12 months preceding the compliance demonstration.

Auxiliary fuel means natural gas, liquified petroleum gas, fuel oil, or diesel fuel.

Average annual heat input rate means annual heat input divided by the hours of operation for the 12 months preceding the compliance demonstration.

Bag leak detection system means an instrument that is capable of monitoring particulate matter loadings in the exhaust of a fabric filter (i.e., baghouse) in order to detect bag failures. A bag leak detection system includes, but is not limited to, an instrument that operates on triboelectric, light scattering, light transmittance, or other principle to monitor relative particulate matter loadings.

Burn-off oven means any rack reclamation unit, part reclamation unit, or drum reclamation unit. A burn-off oven is not an incinerator, waste-burning kiln, an energy recovery unit or a small, remote incinerator under this subpart.

Bypass stack means a device used for discharging combustion gases to avoid severe damage to the air pollution control device or other equipment.

Calendar quarter means three consecutive months (nonoverlapping) beginning on: January 1, April 1, July 1, or October 1.

Calendar year means 365 consecutive days starting on January 1 and ending on December 31.

CEMS data during startup and shutdown means the following:

(1) For incinerators and small remote incinerators: CEMS data collected during the first hours of operation of a CISWI startup from a cold start until waste is fed into the unit and the hours of operation following the cessation of waste material being fed to the CISWI during a unit shutdown. For each startup event, the length of time that CEMS data may be claimed as being CEMS data during startup must be 48 operating hours or less. For each shutdown event, the length of time that CEMS data may be claimed as being CEMS data during shutdown must be 24 operating hours or less;

(2) For energy recovery units: CEMS data collected during the startup or shutdown periods of operation. Startup begins with either the first-ever firing of fuel in a boiler or process heater for the purpose of supplying useful thermal energy (such as steam or heat) for heating, cooling or process purposes, or producing electricity, or the firing of fuel in a boiler or process heater for any purpose after a shutdown event. Startup ends four hours after when the boiler or process heater makes useful thermal energy (such as heat or steam) for heating, cooling, or process purposes, or generates electricity, whichever is earlier. Shutdown begins when the boiler or process heater no longer makes useful thermal energy (such as heat or steam) for heating, cooling, or process purposes and/or generates electricity or when no fuel is being fed to the boiler or process heater, whichever is earlier. Shutdown ends when the boiler or process heater no longer makes useful thermal energy (such as steam or heat) for heating, cooling, or process purposes and/or generates electricity, and no fuel is being combusted in the boiler or process heater; and

(3) For waste-burning kilns: CEMS data collected during the periods of kiln operation that do not include normal operations. Startup means the time from when a shutdown kiln first begins firing fuel until it begins producing clinker. Startup begins when a shutdown kiln turns on the induced draft fan and begins firing fuel in the main burner. Startup ends when feed is being continuously introduced into the kiln for at least 120 minutes or when the feed rate exceeds 60 percent of the kiln design limitation rate, whichever occurs first. Shutdown means the cessation of kiln operation. Shutdown begins when feed to the kiln is halted and ends when continuous kiln rotation ceases.

Chemical recovery unit means combustion units burning materials to recover chemical constituents or to produce chemical compounds where there is an existing commercial market for such recovered chemical constituents or compounds. A chemical recovery unit is not an incinerator, a waste-burning kiln, an energy recovery unit or a small, remote incinerator under this subpart. The following seven types of units are considered chemical recovery units:

(1) Units burning only pulping liquors (i.e., black liquor) that are reclaimed in a pulping liquor recovery process and reused in the pulping process;

(2) Units burning only spent sulfuric acid used to produce virgin sulfuric acid;

(3) Units burning only wood or coal feedstock for the production of charcoal;

(4) Units burning only manufacturing byproduct streams/residue containing catalyst metals that are reclaimed and reused as catalysts or used to produce commercial grade catalysts;

(5) Units burning only coke to produce purified carbon monoxide that is used as an intermediate in the production of other chemical compounds;

(6) Units burning only hydrocarbon liquids or solids to produce hydrogen, carbon monoxide, synthesis gas, or other gases for use in other manufacturing processes; and

(7) Units burning only photographic film to recover silver.

Chemotherapeutic waste means waste material resulting from the production or use of antineoplastic agents used for the purpose of stopping or reversing the growth of malignant cells.

Clean lumber means wood or wood products that have been cut or shaped and include wet, air-dried, and kiln-dried wood products. Clean lumber does not include wood products that have been painted, pigment-stained, or pressure-treated by compounds such as chromate copper arsenate, pentachlorophenol, and creosote.

Commercial and industrial solid waste incineration unit (CISWI) means any distinct operating unit of any commercial or industrial facility that combusts, or has combusted in the preceding 6 months, any solid waste as that term is defined in 40 CFR part 241. If the operating unit burns materials other than traditional fuels as defined in § 241.2 that have been discarded, and you do not keep and produce records as required by § 60.2740(u), the operating unit is a CISWI. While not all CISWIs will include all of the following components, a CISWI includes, but is not limited to, the solid waste feed system, grate system, flue gas system, waste heat recovery equipment, if any, and bottom ash system. The CISWI does not include air pollution control equipment or the stack. The CISWI boundary starts at the solid waste hopper (if applicable) and extends through two areas: The combustion unit flue gas system, which ends immediately after the last combustion chamber or after the waste heat recovery equipment, if any; and the combustion unit bottom ash system, which ends at the truck loading station or similar equipment that transfers the ash to final disposal. The CISWI includes all ash handling systems connected to the bottom ash handling system.

Contained gaseous material means gases that are in a container when that container is combusted.

Continuous emission monitoring system (CEMS) means the total equipment that may be required to meet the data acquisition and availability requirements of this subpart, used to sample, condition (if applicable), analyze, and provide a record of emissions.

Continuous monitoring system (CMS) means the total equipment, required under the emission monitoring sections in applicable subparts, used to sample and condition (if applicable), to analyze, and to provide a permanent record of emissions or process parameters. A particulate matter continuous parameter monitoring system (PM CPMS) is a type of CMS.

Cyclonic burn barrel means a combustion device for waste materials that is attached to a 55 gallon, open-head drum. The device consists of a lid, which fits onto and encloses the drum, and a blower that forces combustion air into the drum in a cyclonic manner to enhance the mixing of waste material and air. A cyclonic burn barrel is not an incinerator, a waste-burning kiln, an energy recovery unit or a small, remote incinerator under this subpart.

Deviation means any instance in which an affected source subject to this subpart, or an owner or operator of such a source:

(1) Fails to meet any requirement or obligation established by this subpart, including but not limited to any emission limitation, operating limit, or operator qualification and accessibility requirements; and

(2) Fails to meet any term or condition that is adopted to implement an applicable requirement in this subpart and that is included in the operating permit for any affected source required to obtain such a permit.

Dioxins/furans means tetra-through octachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans.

Discard means, for purposes of this subpart and 40 CFR part 60, subpart DDDD, only, burned in an incineration unit without energy recovery.

Drum reclamation unit means a unit that burns residues out of drums (e.g., 55 gallon drums) so that the drums can be reused.

Dry scrubber means an add-on air pollution control system that injects dry alkaline sorbent (dry injection) or sprays an alkaline sorbent (spray dryer) to react with and neutralize acid gas in the exhaust stream forming a dry powder material. Sorbent injection systems in fluidized bed boilers and process heaters are included in this definition. A dry scrubber is a dry control system.

Energy recovery means the process of recovering thermal energy from combustion for useful purposes such as steam generation or process heating.

Energy recovery unit means a combustion unit combusting solid waste (as that term is defined by the Administrator in 40 CFR part 241) for energy recovery. Energy recovery units include units that would be considered boilers and process heaters if they did not combust solid waste.

Energy recovery unit designed to burn biomass (Biomass) means an energy recovery unit that burns solid waste, biomass, and non-coal solid materials but less than 10 percent coal, on a heat input basis on an annual average, either alone or in combination with liquid waste, liquid fuel or gaseous fuels.

Energy recovery unit designed to burn coal (Coal) means an energy recovery unit that burns solid waste and at least 10 percent coal on a heat input basis on an annual average, either alone or in combination with liquid waste, liquid fuel or gaseous fuels.

Energy recovery unit designed to burn liquid waste materials and gas (Liquid/gas) means an energy recovery unit that burns a liquid waste with liquid or gaseous fuels not combined with any solid fuel or waste materials.

Energy recovery unit designed to burn solid materials (Solids) includes energy recovery units designed to burn coal and energy recovery units designed to burn biomass.

Fabric filter means an add-on air pollution control device used to capture particulate matter by filtering gas streams through filter media, also known as a baghouse.

Foundry sand thermal reclamation unit means a type of part reclamation unit that removes coatings that are on foundry sand. A foundry sand thermal reclamation unit is not an incinerator, a waste-burning kiln, an energy recovery unit or a small, remote incinerator under this subpart.

Incinerator means any furnace used in the process of combusting solid waste (as that term is defined by the Administrator in 40 CFR part 241) for the purpose of reducing the volume of the waste by removing combustible matter. Incinerator designs include single chamber and two-chamber.

In-line coal mill means those coal mills using kiln exhaust gases in their process. Coal mills with a heat source other than the kiln or coal mills using exhaust gases from the clinker cooler alone are not an in-line coal mill.

In-line kiln/raw mill means a system in a Portland Cement production process where a dry kiln system is integrated with the raw mill so that all or a portion of the kiln exhaust gases are used to perform the drying operation of the raw mill, with no auxiliary heat source used. In this system the kiln is capable of operating without the raw mill operating, but the raw mill cannot operate without the kiln gases, and consequently, the raw mill does not generate a separate exhaust gas stream.

Kiln means an oven or furnace, including any associated preheater or precalciner devices, in-line raw mills, in-line coal mills or alkali bypasses used for processing a substance by burning, firing or drying. Kilns include cement kilns that produce clinker by heating limestone and other materials for subsequent production of Portland Cement. Because the alkali bypass, in-line raw mill and in-line coal mill are considered an integral part of the kiln, the kiln emissions limits also apply to the exhaust of the alkali bypass, in-line raw mill and in-line coal mill.

Laboratory analysis unit means units that burn samples of materials for the purpose of chemical or physical analysis. A laboratory analysis unit is not an incinerator, waste-burning kiln, an energy recovery unit or a small, remote incinerator under this subpart.

Load fraction means the actual heat input of an energy recovery unit divided by heat input during the performance test that established the minimum sorbent injection rate or minimum activated carbon injection rate, expressed as a fraction (e.g., for 50 percent load the load fraction is 0.5).

Low-level radioactive waste means waste material which contains radioactive nuclides emitting primarily beta or gamma radiation, or both, in concentrations or quantities that exceed applicable federal or state standards for unrestricted release. Low-level radioactive waste is not high-level radioactive waste, spent nuclear fuel, or by-product material as defined by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2014(e)(2)).

Malfunction means any sudden, infrequent, and not reasonably preventable failure of air pollution control equipment, process equipment, or a process to operate in a normal or usual manner. Failures that are caused, in part, by poor maintenance or careless operation are not malfunctions.

Minimum voltage or amperage means 90 percent of the lowest test-run average voltage or amperage to the electrostatic precipitator measured during the most recent particulate matter or mercury performance test demonstrating compliance with the applicable emission limits.

Modification or modified CISWI means a CISWI that has been changed later than August 7, 2013, and that meets one of two criteria:

(1) The cumulative cost of the changes over the life of the unit exceeds 50 percent of the original cost of building and installing the CISWI (not including the cost of land) updated to current costs (current dollars). To determine what systems are within the boundary of the CISWI used to calculate these costs, see the definition of CISWI; and

(2) Any physical change in the CISWI or change in the method of operating it that increases the amount of any air pollutant emitted for which section 129 or section 111 of the Clean Air Act has established standards.

Municipal solid waste or municipal-type solid waste means household, commercial/retail, or institutional waste. Household waste includes material discarded by residential dwellings, hotels, motels, and other similar permanent or temporary housing. Commercial/retail waste includes material discarded by stores, offices, restaurants, warehouses, nonmanufacturing activities at industrial facilities, and other similar establishments or facilities. Institutional waste includes materials discarded by schools, by hospitals (nonmedical), by nonmanufacturing activities at prisons and government facilities, and other similar establishments or facilities. Household, commercial/retail, and institutional waste does include yard waste and refuse-derived fuel. Household, commercial/retail, and institutional waste does not include used oil; sewage sludge; wood pallets; construction, renovation, and demolition wastes (which include railroad ties and telephone poles); clean wood; industrial process or manufacturing wastes; medical waste; or motor vehicles (including motor vehicle parts or vehicle fluff).

Opacity means the degree to which emissions reduce the transmission of light and obscure the view of an object in the background.

Operating day means a 24-hour period between 12:00 midnight and the following midnight during which any amount of solid waste is combusted at any time in the CISWI.

Oxygen analyzer system means all equipment required to determine the oxygen content of a gas stream and used to monitor oxygen in the boiler or process heater flue gas, boiler/process heater, firebox, or other appropriate location. This definition includes oxygen trim systems and certified oxygen CEMS. The source owner or operator is responsible to install, calibrate, maintain, and operate the oxygen analyzer system in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations.

Oxygen trim system means a system of monitors that is used to maintain excess air at the desired level in a combustion device over its operating range. A typical system consists of a flue gas oxygen and/or carbon monoxide monitor that automatically provides a feedback signal to the combustion air controller or draft controller.

Part reclamation unit means a unit that burns coatings off parts (e.g., tools, equipment) so that the parts can be reconditioned and reused.

Particulate matter means total particulate matter emitted from CISWIs as measured by Method 5 or Method 29 of appendix A of this part.

Pathological waste means waste material consisting of only human or animal remains, anatomical parts, and/or tissue, the bags/containers used to collect and transport the waste material, and animal bedding (if applicable).

Performance evaluation means the conduct of relative accuracy testing, calibration error testing, and other measurements used in validating the continuous monitoring system data.

Performance test means the collection of data resulting from the execution of a test method (usually three emission test runs) used to demonstrate compliance with a relevant emission standard as specified in the performance test section of the relevant standard.

Process change means any of the following physical or operational changes:

(1) A physical change (maintenance activities excluded) to the CISWI which may increase the emission rate of any air pollutant to which a standard applies;

(2) An operational change to the CISWI where a new type of non-hazardous secondary material is being combusted;

(3) A physical change (maintenance activities excluded) to the air pollution control devices used to comply with the emission limits for the CISWI (e.g., replacing an electrostatic precipitator with a fabric filter); and

(4) An operational change to the air pollution control devices used to comply with the emission limits for the affected CISWI (e.g., change in the sorbent injection rate used for activated carbon injection).

Rack reclamation unit means a unit that burns the coatings off racks used to hold small items for application of a coating. The unit burns the coating overspray off the rack so the rack can be reused.

Raw mill means a ball or tube mill, vertical roller mill or other size reduction equipment, that is not part of an in-line kiln/raw mill, used to grind feed to the appropriate size. Moisture may be added or removed from the feed during the grinding operation. If the raw mill is used to remove moisture from feed materials, it is also, by definition, a raw material dryer. The raw mill also includes the air separator associated with the raw mill.

Reconstruction means rebuilding a CISWI and meeting two criteria:

(1) The reconstruction begins on or after August 7, 2013; and

(2) The cumulative cost of the construction over the life of the incineration unit exceeds 50 percent of the original cost of building and installing the CISWI (not including land) updated to current costs (current dollars). To determine what systems are within the boundary of the CISWI used to calculate these costs, see the definition of CISWI.

Refuse-derived fuel means a type of municipal solid waste produced by processing municipal solid waste through shredding and size classification. This includes all classes of refuse-derived fuel including two fuels:

(1) Low-density fluff refuse-derived fuel through densified refuse-derived fuel; and

(2) Pelletized refuse-derived fuel.

Responsible official means one of the following:

(1) For a corporation: A president, secretary, treasurer, or vice-president of the corporation in charge of a principal business function, or any other person who performs similar policy or decision-making functions for the corporation, or a duly authorized representative of such person if the representative is responsible for the overall operation of one or more manufacturing, production, or operating facilities applying for or subject to a permit and either:

(i) The facilities employ more than 250 persons or have gross annual sales or expenditures exceeding $25 million (in second quarter 1980 dollars); or

(ii) The delegation of authority to such representatives is approved in advance by the permitting authority;

(2) For a partnership or sole proprietorship: a general partner or the proprietor, respectively;

(3) For a municipality, state, federal, or other public agency: Either a principal executive officer or ranking elected official. For the purposes of this part, a principal executive officer of a Federal agency includes the chief executive officer having responsibility for the overall operations of a principal geographic unit of the agency (e.g., a Regional Administrator of EPA); or

(4) For affected facilities:

(i) The designated representative in so far as actions, standards, requirements, or prohibitions under Title IV of the Clean Air Act or the regulations promulgated thereunder are concerned; or

(ii) The designated representative for any other purposes under part 60.

Shutdown means, for incinerators and small, remote incinerators, the period of time after all waste has been combusted in the primary chamber.

Small, remote incinerator means an incinerator that combusts solid waste (as that term is defined by the Administrator in 40 CFR part 241) and combusts 3 tons per day or less solid waste and is more than 25 miles driving distance to the nearest municipal solid waste landfill.

Soil treatment unit means a unit that thermally treats petroleum-contaminated soils for the sole purpose of site remediation. A soil treatment unit may be direct-fired or indirect fired. A soil treatment unit is not an incinerator, a waste-burning kiln, an energy recovery unit or a small, remote incinerator under this subpart.

Solid waste means the term solid waste as defined in 40 CFR 241.2.

Solid waste incineration unit means a distinct operating unit of any facility which combusts any solid waste (as that term is defined by the Administrator in 40 CFR part 241) material from commercial or industrial establishments or the general public (including single and multiple residences, hotels and motels). Such term does not include incinerators or other units required to have a permit under section 3005 of the Solid Waste Disposal Act. The term “solid waste incineration unit” does not include:

(1) Materials recovery facilities (including primary or secondary smelters) which combust waste for the primary purpose of recovering metals;

(2) Qualifying small power production facilities, as defined in section 3(17)(C) of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 769(17)(C)), or qualifying cogeneration facilities, as defined in section 3(18)(B) of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 796(18)(B)), which burn homogeneous waste (such as units which burn tires or used oil, but not including refuse-derived fuel) for the production of electric energy or in the case of qualifying cogeneration facilities which burn homogeneous waste for the production of electric energy and steam or forms of useful energy (such as heat) which are used for industrial, commercial, heating or cooling purposes; or

(3) Air curtain incinerators provided that such incinerators only burn wood wastes, yard wastes and clean lumber and that such air curtain incinerators comply with opacity limitations to be established by the Administrator by rule.

Space heater means a unit that meets the requirements of 40 CFR 279.23. A space heater is not an incinerator, a waste-burning kiln, an energy recovery unit or a small, remote incinerator under this subpart.

Standard conditions, when referring to units of measure, means a temperature of 68 °F (20 °C) and a pressure of 1 atmosphere (101.3 kilopascals).

Startup period means, for incinerators and small, remote incinerators, the period of time between the activation of the system and the first charge to the unit.

Useful thermal energy means energy (i.e., steam, hot water, or process heat) that meets the minimum operating temperature and/or pressure required by any energy use system that uses energy provided by the affected energy recovery unit.

Waste-burning kiln means a kiln that is heated, in whole or in part, by combusting solid waste (as the term is defined by the Administrator in 40 CFR part 241). Secondary materials used in Portland cement kilns shall not be deemed to be combusted unless they are introduced into the flame zone in the hot end of the kiln or mixed with the precalciner fuel.

Wet scrubber means an add-on air pollution control device that uses an aqueous or alkaline scrubbing liquor to collect particulate matter (including nonvaporous metals and condensed organics) and/or to absorb and neutralize acid gases.

Wood waste means untreated wood and untreated wood products, including tree stumps (whole or chipped), trees, tree limbs (whole or chipped), bark, sawdust, chips, scraps, slabs, millings, and shavings. Wood waste does not include:

(1) Grass, grass clippings, bushes, shrubs, and clippings from bushes and shrubs from residential, commercial/retail, institutional, or industrial sources as part of maintaining yards or other private or public lands;

(2) Construction, renovation, or demolition wastes; or

(3) Clean lumber.

authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401
source: 36 FR 24877, Dec. 23, 1971, unless otherwise noted.
cite as: 40 CFR 60.2875