AM-92-57 INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT OF REFINERY WASTE STREAMS

Description:

EPA has promulgated numerous regulations over the last few years that impact the design and operation of refinery environmental control systems. The pace is expected to accelerate in the near future as EPA implements various provisions of RCRA, the Clean Air Act, and the Clean Water Act. One emerging trend is the interaction of regulations aimed at different media. In the past, air, water, and waste compliance could be managed separately. Now, refineries are finding that attempts to comply with one set of requirements often trigger other regulatory considerations. Presently, there are 13 recently implemented or pending EPA requirements directly affecting refinery waste streams. Suggestions are provided for short-term and long-term compliance efforts to address the evolving integration of waste management regulation. Considering the complexity and potential costs of these rules, it is apparent that integrated environmental compliance planning should be an important part of every refiner’s overall business strategy.