SOCMA study urges flexibility

Journal Article · Wed Feb 10 00:00:00 EST 1993 · Chemical Week; (United States)

OSTI ID:6919201

Kirschner, E

In implementing the 1990 Pollution Prevention Act, regulators and legislators should hold off on cookie-cutter, numerical goal-based requirements to allow for site and process specific programs, says a study sponsored by the Synthetic Organic Chemicals Manufacturers Association (SOCMA; Washington). Companies should have that flexibility to target their resources toward those activities that reduce pollution cost effectively, says SOCMA environmental quality committee chairman Art Gillen, who is also BASF director of environmental regulatory affairs. The study - conducted by Woodward-Clyde Consultants (Denver) - examines four batch and custom chemical manufacturing films. As in the Clean Air Act, the batch processing of SOCMA-member plants should be considered in new regulations, Gillen says. For example, the study found that most wastes are from shutdowns and cleanouts, and there are frequent charges in waste streams and raw materials. Those characteristics do not lend themselves to annual reduction goals. Also, specific goals could have a wide range of costs: measures to reduce stack air emissions run from $18/lb to $1,106/lb. SOCMA says it will present the study to Congress and the Environmental Protection Agency.

• OSTI ID: 6919201
• Journal Information: Chemical Week; (United States), Vol. 152:5; ISSN 0009-272X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
02 PETROLEUM
INDUSTRIAL WASTES
POLLUTION REGULATIONS
CHEMICAL WASTES
COST
MANUFACTURERS
POLLUTION ABATEMENT
US CLEAN AIR ACT
US EPA
LAWS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NONRADIOACTIVE WASTES
POLLUTION LAWS
REGULATIONS
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTES
290300* - Energy Planning & Policy- Environment
Health
& Safety
017000 - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Legislation & Regulations
021000 - Petroleum- Legislation & Regulations