AFS Plays Key Role in Helping to Shape Finalized U.S. EPA MACT Standards

Des Plaines, Illinois…The American Foundry Society (AFS) 10E MACT Ad-hoc Committee was successful in its efforts to work with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on a rule to regulate the emissions of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) from iron and steel foundries [commonly known as the Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) standards].

The U.S. EPA’s Active Administrator Marianne Horinko signed the final rule in August, establishing the National Emissions Standards for HAPs from iron and steel foundries. The AFS 10E MACT Ad-hoc Committee worked extensively with U.S. EPA to modify many of the requirements of the proposed rule issued in December 2002. Most notably, a controversial provision requiring a 200 ft/min capture velocity on all local exhaust hoods was eliminated. Thanks in part to AFS efforts, foundries now are directed to follow good engineering practices in their design of the system.

Table 1 summarizes the requirements of the MACT standards with a copy of the final rule posted on the AFS website at www.afsinc.org.

“These standards will have a great impact on our industry, more so than when the original Clean Air Act was implemented in the early 1970s,” said Committee Chairman Gary Thoe, ThyssenKrupp Waupaca Foundry, Inc.

The efforts of the AFS MACT Ad-hoc Committee included a direct presentation to U.S. EPA, weekly conference calls with high-level EPA staff, extensive written comments and the hosting of metalcasting facility tours for EPA officials.

For more information on the Iron and Steel MACT Standards, contact Gary Mosher, AFS vice president of environmental services, at 800/537-4237 ext. 228 or gem@afsinc.org, or Dwight Barnhard, AFS executive vice president, at 800/537-4237 ext. 222 or dbarnhard@afsinc.org.

Headquartered in Des Plaines, Illinois, AFS is a not-for-profit technical and management society that has existed since 1896 to provide and promote knowledge and services that strengthen the metalcasting industry for the ultimate benefit of its customers and society.

Table 1. This chart summarizes the finalized MACT Standards.