The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) brought out a direct final rule on the 23rd of December, 2011 to rewrite certain provisions of the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air pollutants for Prepared Feed Manufacturing. The direct final rule, which goes in force on the 21st of February, 2012, rewrites an earlier EPA rule finalised in 2010 that calls for general housekeeping practices and sets up efficiency standards for cyclones that operate on pellet mills. The rule applies to facilities that manufacture more than 50 tons of animal feed a day and also supplement magnesium or chromium to their feed.
The previous 2010 rule demanded facilities to officially provide evidence that existing pellet mill cyclones were designed to bring down emissions of particulate matter by at least 95 pct. The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA), U.S. Poultry & Egg Association and National Grain and Feed Association were all able to demonstrate to the EPA that the 3 alternatives for abiding by the certification mandate for existent cyclones were difficult and often out of the question. The certificate demand would pressure the replacing of a large universe of existing, properly operational cyclone units.
The EPA confirmed that in the direct final rule it was not the agency’s intention for the industry to replace currently functional cyclones. Altho the direct final rule preserves the certification demands for new cyclones, it significantly rewrites requirements for existing cyclones. Under the efficient measures, active facilities will be required to operate cyclones in conformity with good air pollution control practices. The direct final rule also makes easier review and documentation necessities and clears up previous provisions relating to bulk loads and the operation of doors.
