National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Brick and Structural Clay Products Manufacturing; and National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Clay Ceramics Manufacturing

This action promulgates national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants (NESHAP) for new and existing sources at brick and structural clay products (BSCP) manufacturing facilities and NESHAP for new and existing sources at clay ceramics manufacturing facilities. This action will implement section 112(d) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) by requiring major sources to meet hazardous air pollutant (HAP) emission standards reflecting the application of the maximum achievable control technology (MACT). The two subparts will protect air quality and promote the public health by reducing emissions of several of the HAP listed in section 112(b)(1) of the CAA. The rules will reduce HAP emissions from existing sources by 2,300 tons per year nationwide, with hydrogen fluoride (HF) and hydrogen chloride (HCl) accounting for 2,290 tons per year (99.6 percent) of the total HAP emissions reductions from existing sources. The associated metals (antimony, arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, mercury, manganese, nickel, lead, and selenium) reductions from existing sources account for approximately 6 tons per year nationwide (0.4 percent). Exposure to these substances has been demonstrated to cause adverse health effects such as irritation of the lung, skin, and mucus membranes, effects on the central nervous system, and kidney damage. The EPA has classified three of the HAP as known human carcinogens, four as probable human carcinogens, and one as a possible human carcinogen. We estimate that the two subparts will reduce nationwide emissions of HAP from these facilities by approximately 2,100 megagrams per year (Mg/yr)(2,300 tons per year (tpy)), a reduction of approximately 35 percent from the current level of emissions.