Regulations last checked for updates: Nov 22, 2024

Title 40 - Protection of Environment last revised: Nov 20, 2024
§ 61.55 - Monitoring of emissions and operations.

(a) Wastewater treatment plant sludge incineration and drying plants. All the sources for which mercury emissions exceed 1.6 kg (3.5 lb) per 24-hour period, demonstrated either by stack sampling according to § 61.53 or sludge sampling according to § 61.54, shall monitor mercury emissions at intervals of at least once per year by use of Method 105 of appendix B or the procedures specified in § 61.53 (d) (2) and (4). The results of monitoring shall be reported and retained according to § 61.53(d) (5) and (6) or § 61.54 (f) and (g).

(b) Mercury cell chlor-alkali plants—hydrogen and end-box ventilation gas streams. (1) The owner or operator of each mercury cell chlor-alkali plant shall, within 1 year of the date of publication of these amendments or within 1 year of startup for a plant with initial startup after the date of publication, perform a mercury emission test that demonstrates compliance with the emission limits in § 61.52, on the hydrogen stream by Method 102 and on the end-box stream by Method 101 for the purpose of establishing limits for parameters to be monitored.

(2) During tests specified in paragraph (b)(1) of this section, the following control device parameters shall be monitored, except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, and recorded manually or automatically at least once every 15 minutes:

(i) The exit gas temperature from uncontrolled streams;

(ii) The outlet temperature of the gas stream for the final (i.e., the farthest downstream) cooling system when no control devices other than coolers and demisters are used;

(iii) The outlet temperature of the gas stream from the final cooling system when the cooling system is followed by a molecular sieve or carbon adsorber;

(iv) Outlet concentration of available chlorine, pH, liquid flow rate, and inlet gas temperature of chlorinated brine scrubbers and hypochlorite scrubbers;

(v) The liquid flow rate and exit gas temperature for water scrubbers;

(vi) The inlet gas temperature of carbon adsorption systems; and

(vii) The temperature during the heating phase of the regeneration cycle for carbon adsorbers or molecular sieves.

(3) The recorded parameters in paragraphs (b)(2)(i) through (b)(2)(vi) of this section shall be averaged over the test period (a minimum of 6 hours) to provide an average number. The highest temperature reading that is measured in paragraph (b)(2)(vii) of this section is to be identified as the reference temperature for use in paragraph (b)(6)(ii) of this section.

(4)(i) Immediately following completion of the emission tests specified in paragraph (b)(1) of this section, the owner or operator of a mercury cell chlor-alkali plant shall monitor and record manually or automatically at least once per hour the same parameters specified in paragraphs (b)(2)(i) through (b)(2)(vi) of this section.

(ii) Immediately following completion of the emission tests specified in paragraph (b)(1) of this section, the owner or operator shall monitor and record manually or automatically, during each heating phase of the regeneration cycle, the temperature specified in paragraph (b)(2)(vii) of this section.

(5) Monitoring devices used in accordance with paragraphs (b)(2) and (b)(4) of this section shall be certified by their manufacturer to be accurate to within 10 percent, and shall be operated, maintained, and calibrated according to the manufacturer's instructions. Records of the certifications and calibrations shall be retained at the chlor-alkali plant and made available for inspection by the Administrator as follows: Certification, for as long as the device is used for this purpose; calibration for a minimum of 2 years.

(6)(i) When the hourly value of a parameter monitored in accordance with paragraph (b)(4)(i) of this section exceeds, or in the case of liquid flow rate and available chlorine falls below the value of that same parameter determined in paragraph (b)(2) of this section for 24 consecutive hours, the Administrator is to be notified within the next 10 days.

(ii) When the maximum hourly value of the temperature measured in accordance with paragraph (b)(4)(ii) of this section is below the reference temperature recorded according to paragraph (b)(3) of this section for three consecutive regeneration cycles, the Administrator is to be notified within the next 10 days.

(7) Semiannual reports shall be submitted to the Administrator indicating the time and date on which the hourly value of each parameter monitored according to paragraphs (b)(4)(i) and (b)(4)(ii) of this section fell outside the value of that same parameter determined under paragraph (b)(3) of this section; and corrective action taken, and the time and date of the corrective action. Parameter excursions will be considered unacceptable operation and maintenance of the emission control system. In addition, while compliance with the emission limits is determined primarily by conducting a performance test according to the procedures in § 61.53(b), reports of parameter excursions may be used as evidence in judging the duration of a violation that is determined by a performance test.

(8) Semiannual reports required in paragraph (b)(7) of this section shall be submitted to the Administrator on September 15 and March 15 of each year. The first semiannual report is to be submitted following the first full 6 month reporting period. The semiannual report due on September 15 (March 15) shall include all excursions monitored through August 31 (February 28) of the same calendar year.

(c) As an alternative to the monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements in paragraphs (b)(2) through (8) of this section, an owner or operator may develop and submit for the Administrator's review and approval a plant-specific monitoring plan. To be approved, such a plan must ensure not only compliance with the emission limits of § 61.52(a) but also proper operation and maintenance of emissions control systems. Any site-specific monitoring plan submitted must, at a minimum, include the following:

(1) Identification of the critical parameter or parameters for the hydrogen stream and for the end-box ventilation stream that are to be monitored and an explanation of why the critical parameter(s) selected is the best indicator of proper control system performance and of mercury emission rates.

(2) Identification of the maximum or minimum value of each parameter (e.g., degrees temperature, concentration of mercury) that is not to be exceeded. The level(s) is to be directly correlated to the results of a performance test, conducted no more than 180 days prior to submittal of the plan, when the facility was in compliance with the emission limits of § 61.52(a).

(3) Designation of the frequency for recording the parameter measurements, with justification if the frequency is less than hourly. A longer recording frequency must be justified on the basis of the amount of time that could elapse during periods of process or control system upsets before the emission limits would be exceeded, and consideration is to be given to the time that would be necessary to repair the failure.

(4) Designation of the immediate actions to be taken in the event of an excursion beyond the value of the parameter established in paragraph (c)(2) of this section.

(5) Provisions for reporting, semiannually, parameter excursions and the corrective actions taken, and provisions for reporting within 10 days any significant excursion.

(6) Identification of the accuracy of the monitoring device(s) or of the readings obtained.

(7) Recordkeeping requirements for certifications and calibrations.

(d) Mercury cell chlor-alkali plants—cell room ventilation system. (1) Stationary sources determining cell room emissions in accordance with § 61.53(c)(4) shall maintain daily records of all leaks or spills of mercury. The records shall indicate the amount, location, time, and date the leaks or spills occurred, identify the cause of the leak or spill, state the immediate steps taken to minimize mercury emissions and steps taken to prevent future occurrences, and provide the time and date on which corrective steps were taken.

(2) The results of monitoring shall be recorded, retained at the source, and made available for inspection by the Administrator for a minimum of 2 years.

[52 FR 8727, Mar. 19, 1987, as amended at 65 FR 62151, Oct. 17, 2000]
authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401
source: 38 FR 8826, Apr. 6, 1973, unless otherwise noted.
cite as: 40 CFR 61.55