Regulations last checked for updates: Jun 02, 2024
Title 40 - Protection of Environment last revised: May 30, 2024
§ 421.270 - Applicability: Description of the primary rare earth metals subcategory.
The provisions of this subpart are applicable to discharges resulting from the production of rare earth metals and mischmetal by primary rare earth metals facilities processing rare earth metal oxides, chlorides, and fluorides.
§ 421.271 - Specialized definitions.
In addition to what is provided below:
(a) The general definitions, abbreviations, and methods of analysis set forth in 40 CFR part 401 shall apply to this subpart.
(b) The term rare earth metals refers to the elements scandium, yttrium, and lanthanum to lutetium, inclusive.
(c) The term mischmetal refers to a rare earth metal alloy comprised of the natural mixture of rare earths to about 94-99 percent. The balance of tha alloy includes traces of other elements and one to two percent iron.
§§ 421.272-421.273 - §[Reserved]
§ 421.274 - Standards of performance for new sources.
Any new source subject to this subpart shall achieve the following new source performance standards:
(a) Dryer Vent Water Quench and Scrubber.
NSPS for the Primary Rare Earth Metals Subcategory
| Pollutant or pollutant property
| Maximum for any 1 day
| Maximum for monthly average
|
|---|
| mg/kg (pounds per million pounds) of mischmetal produced from wet rare earth chlorides
|
| Hexachlorobenzene | 0.042 | 0.042
|
| Chromium (total) | 1.544 | 0.626
|
| Lead | 1.168 | 0.542
|
| Nickel | 2.295 | 1.544
|
| Total suspended solids | 62.600 | 50.080
|
| pH | (
1) | (
1)
|
(b) Dryer vent caustic wet air pollution control.
NSPS for the Primary Rare Earth Metals Subcategory
| Pollutant or pollutant property
| Maximum for any 1 day
| Maximum for monthly average
|
|---|
| mg/kg (pounds per million pounds) of mischmetal produced from wet rare earth chlorides
|
| Hexachlorobenzene | 0.007 | 0.007
|
| Chromium (total) | 0.272 | 0.110
|
| Lead | 0.206 | 0.095
|
| Nickel | 0.404 | 0.272
|
| Total suspended solids | 11.010 | 8.808
|
| pH | (
1) | (
1)
|
(c) Electrolytic cell water quench and scrubber.
NSPS for the Primary Rare Earth Metals Subcategory
| Pollutant or pollutant property
| Maximum for any 1 day
| Maximum for monthly average
|
|---|
| mg/kg (pounds per million pounds) of total mischmetal produced
|
| Hexachlorobenzene | 0.094 | 0.094
|
| Chromium (total) | 3.474 | 1.409
|
| Lead | 2.629 | 1.221
|
| Nickel | 5.165 | 3.474
|
| Total suspended solids | 140.900 | 112.700
|
| pH | (
1) | (
1)
|
(d) Electrolytic cell caustic wet air pollution control.
NSPS for the Primary Rare Earth Metals Subcategory
| Pollutant or pollutant property
| Maximum for any 1 day
| Maximum for monthly average
|
|---|
| mg/kg (pounds per million pounds) of total mischmetal produced
|
| Hexachlorobenzene | 0.000 | 0.000
|
| Chromium (total) | 0.000 | 0.000
|
| Lead | 0.000 | 0.000
|
| Nickel | 0.000 | 0.000
|
| Total suspended solids | 0.000 | 0.000
|
| pH | (
1) | (
1)
|
(e) Sodium hypochlorite filter backwash.
NSPS for the Primary Rare Earth Metals Subcategory
| Pollutant or pollutant property
| Maximum for any 1 day
| Maximum for monthly average
|
|---|
| mg/kg (pounds per million pounds) of total mischmetal produced
|
| Hexachlorobenzene | 0.004 | 0.004
|
| Chromium (total) | 0.134 | 0.054
|
| Lead | 0.101 | 0.047
|
| Nickel | 0.199 | 0.134
|
| Total suspended solids | 5.430 | 4.334
|
| pH | (
1) | (
1)
|
§ 421.275 - Pretreatment standards for existing sources.
Except as provided in 40 CFR 403.7 and 403.13, any existing source subject to this subpart 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. The mass of wastewater pollutants in primary rare earth metals process wastewater introduced into a POTW must not exceed the following values:
(a) Dryer vent water quench scrubber.
PSES for the Primary Rare Earth Metals Subcategory
| Pollutant or pollutant property
| Maximum for any 1 day
| Maximum for monthly average
|
|---|
| mg/kg (pounds per million pounds) of mischmetal produced from wet rare earth chlorides
|
| Hexachlorobenzene | 0.042 | 0.042
|
| Chromium (total) | 1.544 | 0.626
|
| Lead | 1.168 | 0.542
|
| Nickel | 2.295 | 1.544 |
(b) Dryer vent caustic wet air pollution control.
PSES for the Primary Rare Earth Metals Subcategory
| Pollutant or pollutant property
| Maximum for any 1 day
| Maximum for monthly average
|
|---|
| mg/kg (pounds per million pounds) of mischmetal produced from wet rare earth chlorides
|
| Hexachlorobenzene | 0.007 | 0.007
|
| Chromium (total) | 0.272 | 0.110
|
| Lead | 0.206 | 0.095
|
| Nickel | 0.404 | 0.272 |
(c) Electrolytic cell water quench and scrubber.
PSES for the Primary Rare Earth Metals Subcategory
| Pollutant or pollutant property
| Maximum for any 1 day
| Maximum for monthly average
|
|---|
| mg/kg (pounds per million pounds) of total mischmetal produced
|
| Hexachlorobenzene | 0.094 | 0.094
|
| Chromium (total) | 3.474 | 1.409
|
| Lead | 2.629 | 1.221
|
| Nickel | 5.165 | 3.474 |
(d) Electrolytic cell caustic wet air pollution control.
PSES for the Primary Rare Earth Metals Subcategory
| Pollutant or pollutant property
| Maximum for any 1 day
| Maximum for monthly average
|
|---|
| mg/kg (pounds per million pounds) of total mischmetal produced
|
| Hexachlorobenzene | 0.000 | 0.000
|
| Chromium (total) | 0.000 | 0.000
|
| Lead | 0.000 | 0.000
|
| Nickel | 0.000 | 0.000 |
(e) Sodium hypochlorite filter backwash.
PSES for the Primary Rare Earth Metals Subcategory
| Pollutant or pollutant property
| Maximum for any 1 day
| Maximum for monthly average
|
|---|
| mg/kg (pounds per million pounds) of total mischmetal produced
|
| Hexachlorobenzene | 0.004 | 0.004
|
| Chromium (total) | 0.134 | 0.054
|
| Lead | 0.101 | 0.047
|
| Nickel | 0.199 | 0.134 |
§ 421.276 - Pretreatment standards for new sources.
Except as provided in 40 CFR 403.7, any new source subject to this subpart 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. The mass of wastewater pollutants in primary rare earth metals process wastewater introduced into a POTW shall not exceed the following values:
(a) Dryer vent water quench and scrubber.
PSNS for the Primary Rare Earth Metals Subcategory
| Pollutant or pollutant property
| Maximum for any 1 day
| Maximum for monthly average
|
|---|
| mg/kg (pounds per million pounds) of mischmetal produced from wet rare earth chlorides
|
| Hexachlorobenzene | 0.042 | 0.042
|
| Chromium (total) | 1.544 | 0.626
|
| Lead | 1.168 | 0.542
|
| Nickel | 2.295 | 1.544 |
(b) Dryer vent caustic wet air pollution control.
PSNS for the Primary Rare Earth Metals Subcategory
| Pollutant or pollutant property
| Maximum for any 1 day
| Maximum for monthly average
|
|---|
| mg/kg (pounds per million pounds) of mischmetal produced from wet rare earth chlorides
|
| Hexachlorobenzene | 0.007 | 0.007
|
| Chromium (total) | 0.272 | 0.110
|
| Lead | 0.206 | 0.095
|
| Nickel | 0.404 | 0.272 |
(c) Electrolytic cell water quench and scrubber.
PSNS for the Primary Rare Earth Metals Subcategory
| Pollutant or pollutant property
| Maximum for any 1 day
| Maximum for monthly average
|
|---|
| mg/kg (pounds per million pounds) of total mischmetal produced
|
| Hexachlorobenzene | 0.094 | 0.094
|
| Chromium (total) | 3.474 | 1.409
|
| Lead | 2.629 | 1.221
|
| Nickel | 5.165 | 3.474 |
(d) Electrolytic cell caustic wet air pollution control.
PSNS for the Primary Rare Earth Metals Subcategory
| Pollutant or pollutant property
| Maximum for any 1 day
| Maximum for monthly average
|
|---|
| mg/kg (pounds per million pounds) of total mischmetal produced
|
| Hexachlorobenzene | 0.000 | 0.000
|
| Chromium (total) | 0.000 | 0.000
|
| Lead | 0.000 | 0.000
|
| Nickel | 0.000 | 0.000 |
(e) Sodium hypochlorite filter backwash.
PSNS for the Primary Rare Earth Metals Subcategory
| Pollutant or pollutant property
| Maximum for any 1 day
| Maximum for monthly average
|
|---|
| mg/kg (pounds per million pounds) of total mischmetal produced
|
| Hexachlorobenzene | 0.004 | 0.004
|
| Chromium (total) | 0.134 | 0.054
|
| Lead | 0.101 | 0.047
|
| Nickel | 0.199 | 0.134 |
§ 421.277 - [Reserved]
authority: Secs. 301, 304 (b), (c), (e), and (g), 306 (b) and (c), 307 (b) and (c), 308 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) and the Water Quality Act of 1987 (the “Act”);
33 U.S.C. 1311,
1314,
c,
e,
and, 1316 (b) and
c, 1317 (b) and
c,
1318; 86 Stat. 816, Pub. L. 92-500; 91 Stat. 1567, Pub. L. 95-217; 101 Stat. 7, Pub. L. 100-4
source: 49 FR 8790, Mar. 8, 1984, unless otherwise noted.
cite as: 40 CFR 421.270