Printing, Coating and Dyeing of Fabrics and Other Textiles Mact

2.  What facilities are subject to this rule?

The Printing, Coating, and Dyeing of Fabrics and Other Textiles rule applies if a facility owns or operates a fabric or other textile coating, printing, slashing, dyeing, or finishing operations that is located at a major source, or is part of a major source of hazardous air pollutants(HAP) emissions. This source category includes any major source facility of air toxics engaged in the coating, printing, slashing, dyeing or finishing of fabrics and other textiles.  EPA has divided these operations into three subcategories:

• The fabrics and other textiles category includes, but is not limited to any yarn, fiber, cord, thread, fabric and textile products, tents, roofing, soft baggage, marine fabric, drapery linings, flexible hoses, hot-air balloons, and awnings.

• The coating and printing subcategory includes all operations that coat and print fabrics and other textiles. This also includes any fabric or other web coating line that performs coating on another substrate. The EPA defines a substrate as staple fibers and filaments, yarns, fabrics, and garments. Web coating lines exclusively dedicated to coating or printing fabric and other textiles are subject to this rule.

• The slashing subcategory includes all operations in the yarn preparation process that is performed prior to weaving. Slashing is the application of a chemical solution (known as sizing) to a yarn in a water solution followed by dewatering and drying.

The dyeing and finishing category includes all operations that dye (apply color) or finish (improve appearance) a fabric or other textile. Dyed and finished textiles are used in a wide range of products, including but not limited to, apparel, carpets, high-performance industry fabrics, luggage, military fabrics, outer wear, sheets, towels, and threads.