National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Petroleum Refineries: Catalytic Cracking Units, Catalytic Reforming Units, and Sulfur Recovery Units

This action establishes final national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants (NESHAP) for certain types of affected sources at petroleum refineries. The affected sources include catalytic cracking units (CCU), catalytic reforming units, and sulfur recovery units, as well as associated by-pass lines. The EPA has identified petroleum refineries as major sources of hazardous air pollutants (HAP). Hazardous air pollutants that would be reduced by this final rule include organics (acetaldehyde, benzene, formaldehyde, hexane, phenol, toluene, and xylene); reduced sulfur compounds (carbonyl sulfide, carbon disulfide); inorganics (hydrogen chloride, chlorine); and particulate metals (antimony, arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, lead, manganese, and nickel). The health effects of exposure to these HAP can include cancer, respiratory irritation, and damage to the nervous system. These final standards implement section 112(d) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) by requiring all petroleum refineries that are major sources to meet standards reflecting the application of the maximum achievable control technology (MACT). When fully implemented, this rule will reduce HAP emissions from the affected sources by nearly 11,000 tons per year tpy--an 87 percent reduction from current levels. Emissions of other pollutants such as volatile organic compounds (VOC), particulate matter (PM), carbon monoxide (CO), and hydrogen sulfide will be reduced by about 60,000 tpy.