Magnetic Tape Manufacturing Operations: National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP)

Rule Summary

This action promulgates final standards that limit the emissions of hazardous air pollutants (HAP) from existing and new magnetic tape manufacturing operations located at major sources. Magnetic tape manufacturing is part of the industrial paper coating category, which includes coating of foil and plastic film. Several solvent and particulate HAP are used in the magnetic tape manufacturing industry. The solvent HAP used in this industry include:

methyl ethyl ketone (MEK),
toluene,
methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK),
toluene diisocyanate,
ethylene glycol,
methanol,
xylenes,
ethyl benzene, and
acetaldehyde

The HAP solvents that are used to the greatest extent are MEK, toluene, and MIBK.

These final standards implement section 112(d) and 112(h) of the Clean Air Act as amended in 1990 (the Act). The purpose of this final rule is to protect the public by requiring all new and existing major sources to control emissions to the level corresponding to the maximum achievable control technology (MACT). Once final, the MACT is estimated to reduce HAP emissions from these sources by 2,300 tons per year.