Industrial Laundries Wastewater Discharges
EPA published a proposed rule in 1997 comprising pretreatmentThe reduction of the amount of pollutants, the elimination of pollutants, or the alteration of the nature of pollutant properties in wastewater before or in lieu of discharging, or otherwise introducing, such pollutants into a POTW. [paraphrased from 40 CFR 403.3(s)] standards for industrial laundries. It withdrew the proposal in 1999. The Agency determined that indirect discharges from industrial laundries did not warrant national regulation because:
- the cost to remove the small amount of pollutants required by the proposal would not have been affordable by the industry
- POTWs were generally not experiencing problems from industrial laundry discharges
- to the extent that isolated problem discharges occur, existing pretreatment authority allows local POTWs to respond to problems effectively (see Pretreatment Program).
The Technical Development Document, published concurrently with the withdrawal notice, provides technology performance data that can be used by control authorities to develop local limitsSpecific discharge limits developed and enforced by POTWs upon industrial or commercial facilities (IUs) to implement the general and specific discharge prohibitions listed in 40 CFR 403.5(a)(1) and (b). [40 CFR 403.5(c)] for individual laundry facilities on a best professional judgement (BPJ) basis.
Federal Register Notices
- Notice; Withdrawal of Proposal (August 18, 1999)
- Proposed Rule (December 17, 1997)