Effluent Guidelines (also referred to as Effluent Limitation Guidelines (ELGs)) are U.S. national standards for wastewater discharges to surface waters and publicly owned treatment works (POTW) (also called municipal sewage treatment plants). The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issues Effluent Guideline regulations for categories of industrial sources of water pollution under Title III of the Clean Water Act (CWA).United States. Clean Water Act (CWA). CWA section 301(b), ; sec. 304(b), ; sec. 306, ; sec. 307(b), , sec. 307(c), . The standards are technology-based, i.e. they are based on the performance of treatment and control technologies (e.g., Best Available Technology). Effluent Guidelines are not based on risk or impacts of pollutants upon receiving waters.
Since the mid-1970s, EPA has promulgated ELGs for 59 industrial categories, with over 450 subcategories. Effluent Guidelines currently control pollution at approximately 40,000 facilities that discharge directly to the nation's waters, 129,000 facilities that discharge to POTWs, and construction sites. Effluent Guidelines are implemented in water discharge permits issued to facilities through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES).
Overview Regulated pollutants vary by industry category, with effluent limitations typically expressed as mass loadings or concentrations. The regulations cover pollutants for which there are approved analytical testing methods. EPA has published many methods in its regulations,EPA. "Guidelines Establishing Test Procedures for the Analysis of Pollutants." Code of Federal Regulations, and has approved the use of other methods published by peer-reviewed sources, such as Standard Methods. Although the effluent limitations are based on the performance of control and treatment technologies (and not the impacts to receiving waters), the regulations do not require discharging facilities to use specific technologies. The facilities may choose any technologies to meet the numerical limitations.
In addition to numerical effluent limitations, some categories also include requirements for the use of industry-specific best management practices.For example, see regulations for the Steam Electric Power Generating Category (); the Pulp, Paper and Paperboard Category () and the Ore Mining and Dressing Category ().
In the 1972 CWA Congress specified an initial list of categorical regulations that EPA was required to promulgate.CWA sec. 306(b)(1)(A) The 1977 CWA amendments provided a list of pollutant and pollutant groups to be considered by the agency in developing regulations. EPA is also required to review and revise regulations as needed, and since 1972 it has promulgated ELGs for 59 industrial categories, with over 450 subcategories. Approximately 40,000 facilities that discharge directly to the nation's waters, 129,000 facilities that discharge to POTWs, and construction sites, are covered by the regulations. The regulations annually prohibit the discharge of 700 billion pounds of pollutants into U.S. surface waters.
The effluent limitations for the Construction and Development category are narrative in format and do not specify numeric pollutant limits. The requirements consist of erosion controls and sediment controls, soil stabilization practices and pollution prevention practices (such as minimizing exposure of building materials, pesticides and other chemicals).EPA. "Construction and Development Point Source Category." Code of Federal Regulations,
In the early years of the program (1970s-1980s) the agency published analytical methods for a list of 126 "priority pollutants," consisting of various toxic pollutants. Subsequently the agency has issued methods and regulated pollutants beyond those in the initial priority list.
Facilities that directly discharge to "waters of the United States" are required to obtain NPDES permits, and effluent guideline requirements are incorporated into these permits. Indirect dischargers (i.e. facilities discharging to POTWs) are subject to effluent guideline requirements called "Pretreatment Standards."
Existing regulations This table lists the 59 Effluent Guidelines categories published by EPA. Category Name40 CFRInitial Promulgation YearMost Recent UpdateAirport Deicing44920122012Aluminum Forming46719831988Asbestos Manufacturing42719741975Battery Manufacturing46119841986Canned and Preserved Fruits and Vegetable Processing40719741976Canned and Preserved Seafood (Seafood Processing)40819741975Carbon Black Manufacturing45819761978Cement Manufacturing41119741974Centralized Waste Treatment43720002003Coal Mining43419752002Coil Coating46519821983Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations41219742008Concentrated Aquatic Animal Production (Aquaculture)45120042004Construction and Development45020092014Copper Forming46819831986Dairy Products Processing40519741974Dental Office44120172017Electrical and Electronic Components46919831983Electroplating41319741983Explosives Manufacturing45719761976Ferroalloy Manufacturing42419741974Fertilizer Manufacturing41819741975Glass Manufacturing42619741975Grain Mills40619741974Gum and Wood Chemicals Manufacturing45419761976Hospitals46019761976Ink Formulating44719751975Inorganic Chemicals Manufacturing41519821984Iron and Steel Manufacturing42019742005Landfills44520002000Leather Tanning and Finishing42519821996Meat and Poultry Products43219742004Metal Finishing43319831986Metal Molding and Casting (Foundries)46419851985Metal Products and Machinery43820032003Mineral Mining and Processing43619751979Nonferrous Metals Forming and Metal Powders47119851989Nonferrous Metals Manufacturing42119761990Oil and Gas Extraction43519752016Ore Mining and Dressing (Hard Rock Mining)44019751988Organic Chemicals, Plastics & Synthetic Fibers41419871993Paint Formulating44619751975Paving and Roofing Materials (Tars and Asphalt)44319751975Pesticide Chemicals45519781996Petroleum Refining41919741982Pharmaceutical Manufacturing43919762003Phosphate Manufacturing42219741974Photographic45919761976Plastics Molding and Forming46319841984Porcelain Enameling46619821985Pulp, Paper and Paperboard43019742002Rubber Manufacturing42819741974Soap and Detergent Manufacturing41719741975Steam Electric Power Generating42319742024Sugar Processing40919741979Textile Mills41019741982Timber Products Processing42919741981Transportation Equipment Cleaning44220002000Waste Combustors44420002000
Effluent Guidelines Database The EPA database supports searching of existing regulations by industry, pollutant, treatment technology or keyword.
Program plans EPA periodically publishes a list of ongoing and new regulation projects, and a list of categories that it is considering for regulation, in its "Effluent Guidelines Program Plan." Program Plan 15, published in January 2023, announced several regulatory and research projects. According to the agency's "PFAS Strategic Roadmap", it is continuing to evaluate options to reduce discharges of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from a variety of industrial sectors. In this regard EPA has decided that changes to the Landfills regulation (40 CFR part 445) are necessary, to address discharges of PFAS from landfill leachate.
EPA will conduct research on the Textile Mills category (40 CFR part 410) to learn more about its PFAS usage and discharge characteristics. The agency will study PFAS discharged to POTWs by various industries, including categories that have recently been examined. EPA intends to confirm the origins of PFAS wastewater and assist POTWs in determining whether source-level controls are necessary. The Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations Category (40 CFR part 412) will also be investigated. The POTW influent study will include monitoring of the Electrical and Electronic Components Category (40 CFR part 469) for PFAS discharge data even though EPA is not currently seeking additional action for this category. Additionally, EPA will keep an eye on PFAS use and emissions from airports and the Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Category (40 CFR part 430).
See also Industrial wastewater treatment New Source Performance Standard United States regulation of point source water pollution Water Quality Standards Program (Risk-based standards)
References
External links EPA - Effluent Guidelines Program