EPA Releases Effluent Limitation Guidelines


On February 26, 2004, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established new wastewater discharge limits for the meat and poultry products industry. The final rule, which has been in development for two years and is expected to be published in the Federal Register this spring after EPA completes its final editing, affects about 170 facilities that discharge wastewater from slaughtering, rendering, and other processes such as cleaning, cutting, and smoking. The final rule reduces discharges of conventional pollutants, ammonia, and nitrogen to rivers, lakes, and streams. The rule establishes effluent limits for poultry processors for the first time; however, the poultry industry has been regulated under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit program, which sets discharge limits based on attaining state water quality criteria.

The final rule applies to direct discharges of wastewater from existing and new

• meat first processors (slaughterhouses) that slaughter more than 50 million pounds per year;

• meat further processors that generate more than 50 million pounds per year of finished products (i.e., bacon or sausage);

• independent renderers of meat and poultry products that use greater than 10 million pounds of raw material per year;

• poultry first processors (slaugh-terhouses) that slaughter more than 100 million pounds per year; and

• poultry further processors that generate more than seven million pounds per year of finished products (i.e., ready-to-cook chicken cutlets or ground turkey).

The final rule also applies to direct discharges of wastewater from new poultry processors at lower production thresholds. Specifically, the final rule applies to new

• poultry first processors (slaughterhouses) that slaughter less than or equal to 100 million pounds per year; and

• poultry further processors that generate less than or equal to seven million pounds per year of finished products.

The regulation revises the existing effluent guidelines for the meat industry by adding ammonia and total nitrogen limits for meat slaughterhouses, and total nitrogen limits for meat further processors and independent renderers. For poultry slaughterhouses and further processors, the rule establishes limits for conventional pollutants, ammonia, and total nitrogen.

EPA estimates reductions in the discharge of total nitrogen of about 27 million pounds per year and reductions of conventional pollutants (e.g., biochemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, oil, and grease) of about four million pounds per year. EPA estimates compliance costs of $58 million per year.

Effluent guidelines are national regulations that control the discharge of pollutants from industrial facilities to surface waters. EPA sets effluent limitations based on process or treatment technologies that are technically feasible and affordable. Since 1974, EPA has promulgated effluent guidelines for more than 50 industrial categories.

For more information, contact Samantha Lewis at (202) 566-1058, or email lewis.samantha@epa.gov. The final rule is on EPA’s Web site at www.epa.gov/guide/mpp.


April 2004 Render