Regulations last checked for updates: Jun 01, 2024

Title 40 - Protection of Environment last revised: May 30, 2024
§ 415.470 - Applicability; description of the nickel salts production subcategory.

The provisions of this subpart are applicable to discharges and to the introduction of pollutants into treatment works which are publicly owned resulting from the production of nickel salts, including (a) nickel sulfate, nickel chloride, nickel nitrate, and nickel fluoborate, and (b) nickel carbonate.

§ 415.471 - Specialized definitions.

For the purpose of this subpart:

(a) Except as provided below, the general definitions, abbreviations, and methods of analysis set forth in part 401 of this chapter shall apply to this subpart.

(b) The term product shall mean nickel salts.

(c) The term nickel shall mean the total nickel present in the process wastewater stream exiting the wastewater treatment system.

(d) The term copper shall mean the total copper present in the process wastewater stream exiting the wastewater treatment system.

§ 415.472 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best practicable control technology currently available (BPT).

(a) Except as provided in 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32 any existing point source subject to this subpart and producing nickel sulfate, nickel chloride, nickel nitrate, or nickel fluoborate must achieve the following effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best practicable control technology currently available (BPT):

Subpart AU—Nickel Sulfate, Nickel Chloride, Nickel Nitrate, Nickel Fluoborate

Pollutant or pollutant property BPT effluent limitations
Maximum for any 1 day Average of daily values for 30 consecutive days
Kg/kkg (or pounds per/1,000 lb) of product
TSS0.0960.032
Nickel (T)0.00600.0020
pH( 1)( 1)

1 Within the range 6.0 to 9.0.

(b) Except as provided in 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32 any existing point source subject to this subpart and producing nickel carbonate must achieve the following effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best practicable control technology currently available (BPT):

Subpart AU—Nickel Carbonate

Pollutant or pollutant property BPT effluent limitations
Maximum for any 1 day Average of daily values for 30 consecutive days
Kg/kkg (or pounds per/1,000 lb) of product
TSS17.5.6
Nickel (T)1.10.35
pH( 1)( 1)

1 Within the range 6.0 to 9.0.

§ 415.473 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT).

(a) Except as provided in 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32 any existing point source subject to this subpart and producing nickel sulfate, nickel chloride, nickel nitrate, or nickel fluoborate must achieve the following effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT):

Subpart AU—Nickel Sulfate, Nickel Chloride, Nickel Nitrate, Nickel Fluoborate

Pollutant or pollutant property BAT effluent limitations
Maximum for any 1 day Average of daily values for 30 consecutive days
Kg/kkg (or pounds per/1,000 lb) of product
Copper (T)0.000740.00024
Nickel (T)0.000740.00024

(b) Except as provided in 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32 any existing point source subject to this subpart and producing nickel carbonate must achieve the following effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT):

Subpart AU—Nickel Carbonate

Pollutant or pollutant property BAT effluent limitations
Maximum for any 1 day Average of daily values for 30 consecutive days
Kg/kkg (or pounds per/1,000 lb) or product
Copper (T)0.130.042
Nickel (T)0.130.042
§ 415.474 - Pretreatment standards for existing sources (PSES).

(a) Except as provided in 40 CFR 403.7 and 403.13, any existing source subject to this subpart and producing nickel sulfate, nickel chloride, nickel nitrate, or nickel fluoborate which introduces pollutants into a publicly owned treatment works must comply with 40 CFR part 403 and achieve the following pretreatment standards for existing sources (PSES):

Subpart AU—Nickel Sulfate, Nickel Chloride, Nickel Nitrate, Nickel Fluoborate

Pollutant or pollutant property PSES effluent limitations
Maximum for any 1 day Average of daily values for 30 consecutive days
Milligrams per liter (mg/l)
Copper(T)1.10.36
Nickel(T)1.10.36
In cases where POTWs find it necessary to impose mass limitations, the following equivalent mass limitations are provided as an alternate: The limitations for copper (T) and nickel (T) are the same as specified in § 415.473(a).

(b) Except as provided in 40 CFR 403.7 and 403.13, any existing source subject to this subpart and producing nickel carbonate which introduces pollutants into a publicly owned treatment works must comply with 40 CFR part 403 and achieve the following pretreatment standards for existing sources (PSES):

Subpart AU—Nickel Carbonate

Pollutant or pollutant property PSES effluent limitations
Maximum for any 1 day Average of daily values for 30 consecutive days
Milligrams per liter (mg/l)
Copper(T)1.10.36
Nickel(T)1.10.36
In cases where POTWs find it necessary to impose mass limitations, the following equivalent mass limitations are provided as an alternate: The limitations for copper (T) and nickel (T) are the same as specified in § 415.473(b).
§ 415.475 - New source performance standards (NSPS).

(a) Any new source subject to this subpart and producing nickel sulfate, nickel chloride, nickel fluorobate or nickel nitrate must achieve the following new source performance standards (NSPS):

Subpart AU—Nickel Sulfate, Nickel Chloride, Nickel Nitrate, and Nickel Fluoborate

Pollutant or pollutant property NSPS effluent limitations
Maximum for any 1 day Average of daily values for 30 consecutive days
Kg/kkg (or pounds per 1,000 lb) of product
TSS0.0960.032
Copper0.000740.00024
Nickel0.000740.00024
pH( 1)( 1)

1 Within the range 6.0 to 9.0.

(b) Any new source subject to this subpart and producing nickel carbonate must achieve the following new source performance standards (NSPS):

Subpart AU—Nickel Carbonate

Pollutant or pollutant property NSPS effluent limitations
Maximum for any 1 day Average of daily values for 30 consecutive days
Kg/kkg (or pounds per/1,000 lb) or product
TSS17.5.6
Copper0.130.042
Nickel0.130.042
pH( 1)( 1)

1 Within the range 6.0 to 9.0.

§ 415.476 - Pretreatment standards for new sources (PSNS).

(a) Except as provided in 40 CFR 403.7, any new source subject to this subpart and producing nickel sulfate, nickel chloride, nickel fluoborate or nickel nitrate which introduces pollutants into a publicly owned treatment works must comply with 40 CFR part 403 and achieve the following pretreatment standards for new sources (PSNS): The limitations for copper (T) and nickel (T) are the same as specified in § 415.474(a).

(b) Except as provided in 40 CFR 403.7, any new source subject to this subpart and producing nickel carbonate which introduces pollutants into a publicly owned treatment works must comply with 40 CFR part 403 and achieve the following pretreatment standards for new sources (PSNS): The limitations for copper (T) and nickel (T) are the same as specified in § 415.474(b).

§ 415.477 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best conventional pollutant control technology (BCT).

(a) Except as provided in 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32 any existing point source subject to this subpart and producing nickel sulfate, nickel chloride, nickel fluoborate or nickel nitrate must achieve the following effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best conventional pollutant control technology (BCT): The limitations are the same for TSS and pH as specified in § 415.472(a).

(b) Except as provided in 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32 any existing point source subject to this subpart and producing nickel carbonate must achieve the following effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best conventional pollutant control technology (BCT): The limitations are the same for TSS and pH as specified in § 415.472(b).

authority: Secs. 301, 304 (b), (c), (e), and (g), 306 (b) and (c), 307 (b) and (c), and 501 of the Clean Water Act (the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972, as amended by the Clean Water Act of 1977) (the “Act”); 33 U.S.C. 1311,1314,c,e,and, 1316 (b) andc, 1317 (b) andc,and; 86 Stat. 816, Pub. L. 92-500; 91 Stat. 1567, Pub. L. 95-217
source: 47 FR 28278, June 29, 1982, unless otherwise noted.
cite as: 40 CFR 415.475