plastic parts and products surface coating mact summary

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1. What is the purpose of this rule

The Clean Air Act requires EPA to develop Hazardous Air Pollutant (HAP) emission standards reflecting Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) for major source categories identified under section 112(c) of the Act.  An initial source category list was published by EPA in 1992.  This list identified surface coating of plastic parts and products operations as a source category because it contains major sources of HAP emissions (major sources of hazardous air pollutants are those that have the potential to emit 10 TPY or more of any one HAP or 25 TPY of any combination of HAP). 

This rule requires affected operations to meet HAP emission standards with maximum achievable control technology (MACT) with the goal of protecting air quality and promoting public health by reducing emissions of HAP from affected facilities in this source category.

The organic HAP emitted by these operations includes methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK), toluene, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether (EGBE) and other glycol ethers, and xylenes. Exposure to these substances has been demonstrated to cause adverse health effects such as irritation of the lung, skin, and mucous membranes, and effects on the central nervous system, liver, and heart. In general, these findings have only been shown with concentrations higher than those typically in the ambient air. Application of the requirements of these rules is expected result in reduced nationwide organic HAP emissions from major sources in this source category by approximately 80 percent.