ABSTRACT
The Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry (SOCMI), as a source category, emits a larger volume of a variety of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) compared to other source categories. In addition, individual SOCMI sources tend to be located close to the population. However, the existing rules do not comprehensively regulate emissions for all organic HAPs emitted from all emissions points at both new and existing plants. For purposes of the maximum achievable control technology (MACT) standard, a SOCMI manufacturing plant is viewed as an assortment of equipment—process vents, storage tanks, transfer racks, and wastewater streams—all of which emit HAPs. A process vent is a gas stream that is continuously discharged during the unit operation from an air oxidation unit, reactor process unit, or distillation operation within a SOCMI chemical process. Transfer operations are the loading of liquid products on the list of HAPs from a transfer rack within the SOCMI chemical manufacturing process into a tank truck or railcar.
