(MERAF) for the Base Metals Smelting Sector - CCME

− The EPA has started developing particulate matter emission standards
for primary copper smelters. The National Emission Standards for
Primary Copper Smelters were proposed in 1998 and a series of
amendments were proposed on June 2000. US EPA personnel
reported that the final Rule package is in Washington Headquarters for
the Administrator’s signature. Dates of signature and publication in the
Federal Register are unknown.
− Under the U.S. EPA’s Risk Management Planning (RMP) Rule [s112 of
the Clean Air Act Amendments, 1990], sulphur dioxide is listed as a
toxic substance with a threshold quantity of 5,000 lbs. Therefore, those
facilities with the potential of hazardous emissions or releases, covered
by the RMP rule, must develop and implement a risk management
program and maintain documentation of the program at the site. The
program includes an analysis of the potential off-site consequences of
an accidental release, a 5-year accident history, a release prevention
program and an emergency response program. With the RMP rule,
releases of sulphur dioxide will be more closely monitored.
This summary presents controls and standards in existence in Canada and the
United States. In the MERAF report, standards from the World Bank, the United
Nations Economic Commission for Europe, European Union, Australia, and many
European countries are also presented and discussed.
An analysis was conducted by Hatch Associates to identify where further
reductions could be made in releases by the application of technically feasible
methods. Two time periods were chosen for the analysis: By 2008 and Beyond
2008. These dates correspond to the dates specified in Recommendation #1 of
the Strategic Options Report for Base Metals Smelting Sector dealing with
Release Reduction Targets and Schedules. For the purposes of this report, the
“Beyond 2008” option is given a finite time frame of “By 2015”.
The following assumptions were made for the reduction analysis:
• similar production levels of metals in Canada;
• existing facilities continue operations;
• additional air pollution control applied to some facilities (e.g., installed or
upgraded particulate control);
• air pollution prevention process applied to some facilities (e.g., changes
in smelting processes).
Based on a review of release data, the focus was placed on the following six
facilities representing a significant portion of the releases from this sector:
• Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting;
• Inco Thompson;
• Inco Copper Cliff;
xvi