Aug. 14, 2009
Vol. 39, No. 346

For more information contact Jim Snead, Air Quality Management Section, 302-323-4542; or Melanie Rapp, Public Affairs, 302-739-9902.

Hearing set August 25 on proposed air toxics emission
standard for plating and polishing operations

DNREC’s Air Quality Management Section will hold a public hearing beginning at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 25 on the adoption of a new air toxics standard for Hazardous Air Pollutant Regulation No. 1138. The hearing will be held at DNREC’s Air Quality Management Office, 715 Grantham Lane in New Castle.

The new air toxics standard may impact any owner or operator of a facility that deposits metal coatings onto metal parts or products by either electroplating or electroless coating operations. The new standard also applies to the dry mechanical polishing (or grinding) of these coated parts or products. Typically, these metal coating and dry polishing operations provide a decorative finish, a corrosion-resistance finish or a wear-resistance finish to the parts or products.

DNREC’s Air Quality Management Section’s planned adoption of the new air toxics standard will provide increased protection for Delawareans against a variety of potential adverse health effects that have been linked to long term exposure to the compounds of cadmium, chromium, lead, manganese or nickel. The proposed amendment will also bring Delaware’s air toxics regulatory program into closer alignment with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for area or small sources.

The proposed amendment and other relevant information are available at: http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/whs/awm/Info/Regs/Pages/PandP.aspx and can be inspected at DNREC’s Air Quality Management offices located at 156 S. State Street, Dover and 715 Grantham Lane, New Castle.

Comments to the proposed amendment can be presented orally or in writing at the hearing. Written comments will also be accepted prior to the hearing by mail to: DNREC – Air Quality Management Section, 715 Grantham Lane, New Castle, DE 19720 Attn. Jim Snead

In the 1990 Amendments to the Clean Air Act, Congress sought to reduce cancer and non-cancer health risks due to the exposure of hazardous air pollutants by mandating that EPA identify 30 or more Hazardous Air Pollutants that pose the greatest threat to public health in urban areas, identify those small sources that emit any of those pollutants and promulgate standards to reduce the associated health risks. This air toxics standard is one of those area source standards.

For additional information, please contact Jim Snead, Air Quality Management Section, 302-323-4542.