Air Curtain Incinerators that Only Burn Wood Wastes, Yard Wastes, and Clean Lumber
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Rule Summary
Section 129(g) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) defines the term “solid waste incineration unit.” This definition excludes air curtain incinerators (ACI) that only burn wood wastes, yard wastes and clean lumber. An ACI burns material material in an open pit or box while a strong curtain of air is blown across the top. These units can be built above or below ground and are primarily used to destroy wood wastes, yard wastes, and clean lumber.
This proposed rulemaking would consolidate requirements for ACIs solely used for the incineration of wood waste, yard waste, and clean lumber to be regulated under a new, singular subpart of CAA section 129 and to allow this type of ACI to operate without a title V permit unless the unit is located at a facility that requires one. This means that ACI only burning wood wastes, yard wastes, and clean lumber would be able to start operating immediately after a disaster, giving communities the ability to act swiftly as they work to respond and recover. In addition, the proposal would consolidate opacity limits and associated monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements for this type of ACI covered by CAA section 129.
This proposed rulemaking would also allow commercial and industrial solid waste incineration (CISWI) units to operate on a temporary basis to burn non-hazardous waste during disaster recovery operations. If finalized as proposed, these units would not be subject to any CAA section 129 standards during temporary-use status after a state of Emergency is declared by a local or state government, or the President. Units would still be required to continue to run existing pollution control equipment.