Section 449.07. Emission standards for ethylene dichloride, vinyl chloride and polyvinyl chloride plants.

  An owner or operator of an ethylene dichloride, vinyl chloride, or polyvinyl chloride plant shall comply with the requirements of this section.

(1)   Relief valve discharge. Except for an emergency relief discharge, there may be no discharge to the atmosphere from any relief valve on any equipment in vinyl chloride service. An emergency relief discharge means a discharge which could not have been avoided by taking measures to prevent the discharge. Within 10 days of any relief valve discharge, the owner or operator of the source from which the relief valve discharge occurs shall submit to the department a report in writing containing information on the source, nature and cause of the discharge, the date and time of the discharge, the approximate total vinyl chloride loss during the discharge, the method used for determining the vinyl chloride loss, the action that was taken to prevent the discharge, and measures adopted to prevent future discharges.

(2)   Fugitive emission sources.

(a) Vinyl chloride emissions from loading and unloading lines in vinyl chloride service which are opened to the atmosphere after each loading and unloading operation shall be minimized as follows:

1. After each loading and unloading operation and before opening a loading or unloading line to the atmosphere, the quantity of vinyl chloride in all parts of each loading or unloading line that are to be opened to the atmosphere shall be reduced so that the parts combined contain no greater than 0.0038 cubic meter (0.13 cubic feet) of vinyl chloride, at standard temperature and pressure.

2. Any vinyl chloride removed from a loading or unloading line in accordance with subd. 1. shall be ducted through a control system from which the concentration of vinyl chloride in the exhaust gases may not exceed 10 parts per million, or equivalent as provided in s. NR 449.08 .

(b) During loading or unloading operations, the vinyl chloride emissions from each slip gauge in vinyl chloride service shall be minimized by ducting any vinyl chloride discharged from the slip gauge through a control system from which the concentration of vinyl chloride in the exhaust gases may not exceed 10 parts per million, or equivalent as provided in s. NR 449.08 .

(c)

1. Rotating pumps. Vinyl chloride emissions from seals on all rotating pumps in vinyl chloride service shall be minimized by installing sealless pumps, pumps with double mechanical seals, or equivalent as provided in s. NR 449.08 . If double mechanical seals are used, vinyl chloride emissions from the seals shall be minimized by maintaining the pressure between the 2 seals so that any leak that occurs is into the pump, by ducting any vinyl chloride between the 2 seals through a control system from which the concentration of vinyl chloride in the exhaust gases may not exceed 10 parts per million, or equivalent as provided in s. NR 449.08 .

2. Reciprocating pumps. Vinyl chloride emissions from seals on all reciprocating pumps in vinyl chloride service shall be minimized by installing double outboard seals, or equivalent as provided in s. NR 449.08 . If double outboard seals are used, vinyl chloride emissions from the seals shall be minimized by maintaining the pressure between the 2 seals so that any leak that occurs is into the pump, by ducting any vinyl chloride between the 2 seals through a control system from which the concentration of vinyl chloride in the exhaust gases may not exceed 10 parts per million, or equivalent as provided in s. NR 449.08 .

3. Rotating compressors. Vinyl chloride emissions from seals on all rotating compressors in vinyl chloride service shall be minimized by installing compressors with double mechanical seals, or equivalent as provided in s. NR 449.08 . If double mechanical seals are used, vinyl chloride emissions from the seals shall be minimized by maintaining the pressure between the 2 seals so that any leak that occurs is into the compressor, by ducting any vinyl chloride between the 2 seals through a control system from which the concentration of vinyl chloride in the exhaust gases may not exceed 10 parts per million, or equivalent as provided in s. NR 449.08 .

4. Reciprocating compressors. Vinyl chloride emissions from seals on all reciprocating compressors in vinyl chloride service shall be minimized by installing double outboard seals, or equivalent as provided in s. NR 449.08 . If double outboard seals are used, vinyl chloride emissions from the seals shall be minimized by maintaining the pressure between the 2 seals so that any leak that occurs is into the compressor, by ducting any vinyl chloride between the 2 seals through a control system from which the concentration of vinyl chloride in the exhaust gases may not exceed 10 parts per million, or equivalent as provided in s. NR 449.08 .

5. Agitators. Vinyl chloride emissions from seals on all agitators in vinyl chloride service shall be minimized by installing agitators with double mechanical seals, or equivalent as provided in s. NR 449.08 . If double mechanical seals are used, vinyl chloride emissions from the seals shall be minimized by maintaining the pressure between the 2 seals so that any leak that occurs is into the agitated vessels, by ducting any vinyl chloride between the 2 seals through a control system from which the concentration of vinyl chloride in the exhaust gases may not exceed 10 parts per million, or equivalent as provided in s. NR 449.08 .

(d) Vinyl chloride emissions due to leakage from each relief valve on equipment in vinyl chloride service shall be minimized by installing a rupture disk between the equipment and the relief valve, by connecting the relief valve discharge to a process line or recovery system, or equivalent as provided in s. NR 449.08 .

(e) Except as provided in s. NR 449.06 (1) (c) , all gases which are manually vented from equipment in vinyl chloride service shall be ducted through a control system from which the concentration of vinyl chloride in the exhaust gases may not exceed 10 parts per million, or equivalent as provided in s. NR 449.08 .

(f) Vinyl chloride emissions from opening of equipment (including loading or unloading lines that are not opened to the atmosphere after each loading or unloading operation) shall be minimized as follows:

1. Before opening any equipment for any reason, the quantity of vinyl chloride shall be reduced so that the equipment contains no more than 2.0% by volume vinyl chloride or 0.0950 cubic meter (25 gallons) of vinyl chloride, whichever is larger, at standard temperature and pressure.

2. Any vinyl chloride removed from the equipment in accordance with subd. 1. shall be ducted through a control system from which the concentration of vinyl chloride in the exhaust gases may not exceed 10 parts per million, or equivalent as provided in s. NR 449.08 .

(g) Unused portions of samples containing at least 10% by weight vinyl chloride shall be returned to the process, and sampling techniques shall be such that sample containers in vinyl chloride service are purged into a closed process system.

(h) Vinyl chloride emissions due to leaks from equipment in vinyl chloride service shall be minimized by instituting and implementing a formal leak detection and elimination program. The owner or operator of a source on which construction or modification commenced after February 1, 1984 shall submit a description of the program to the department for approval. The program shall be submitted within 45 days after startup unless a waiver is granted by the department. If a waiver of compliance is granted, the program is to be submitted on a date scheduled by the department. Approval of a program shall be granted by the department provided it finds:

1. It includes a reliable and accurate vinyl chloride monitoring system for detection of major leaks and identification of the general area of the plant where a leak is located. A vinyl chloride monitoring system means a device which obtains air samples from one or more points on a continuous sequential basis and analyzes the samples with gas chromatography or, if the owner or operator assumes that all hydrocarbons measured are vinyl chloride, with infrared spectrophotometry flame ion detection, or an equivalent or alternative method.

2. It includes a reliable and accurate portable hydrocarbon detector to be used routinely to find small leaks and to pinpoint the major leaks indicated by the vinyl chloride monitoring system. A portable hydrocarbon detector means a device which measures hydrocarbons with a sensitivity of at least 10 parts per million and is of such design and size that it can be used to measure emissions from localized points.

3. It provides for an acceptable calibration and maintenance schedule for the vinyl chloride monitoring system and portable hydrocarbon detector. For the vinyl chloride monitoring system, a daily span check shall be conducted with a concentration of vinyl chloride equal to the concentration defined as a leak according to subd. 6. The calibration shall be done with either one of the following:

a. A calibration gas mixture prepared from the gases specified in section 5.2.1 and 5.2.2 and in accordance with section 7.1 of Method 106 of 40 CFR part 61 , Appendix B, incorporated by reference in s. NR 484.04 (23) .

b. A calibration gas cylinder standard containing the appropriate concentration of vinyl chloride. The gas composition of the calibration gas cylinder standard shall have been certified by the manufacturer. The manufacturer must have recommended a maximum shelf life for each cylinder so that the concentration does not change greater than plus or minus 5% from the certified value. The date of gas cylinder preparation, certified vinyl chloride concentration and recommended maximum shelf life must have been affixed to the cylinder before shipment from the manufacturer to the buyer. If a gas chromatograph is used as the vinyl chloride monitoring system, these gas mixtures may be directly used to prepare a chromatograph calibration curve as described in section 7.3 of Method 106 of 40 CFR part 61 , Appendix B, incorporated by reference in s. NR 484.04 (23) . The requirements in sections 5.2.3.1 and 5.2.3.2 of Method 106 for certification of cylinder standards and for establishment and verification of calibration standards shall be followed.

4. The location and number of points to be monitored and the frequency of monitoring provided for in the program are acceptable when they are compared with the number of pieces of equipment in vinyl chloride service and the size and physical layout of the plant.

5. It contains an acceptable plan of action to be taken when a leak is detected.

6. It contains a definition of leak which is acceptable when compared with the background concentrations of vinyl chloride in the areas of the plant to be monitored by the vinyl chloride monitoring system. Measurement of background concentrations of vinyl chloride in the areas of the plant to be monitored by the vinyl chloride monitoring system shall be included with the description of the program. The definition of leak for a given plant may vary among the different areas within the plant and is also to change over time as background concentrations in the plant are reduced.

(i) Vinyl chloride emissions to the atmosphere from inprocess wastewater shall be reduced as specified in this paragraph.

1. The concentration of vinyl chloride in each inprocess wastewater stream containing greater than 10 parts per million vinyl chloride measured immediately as it leaves a piece of equipment and before being mixed with any other inprocess wastewater stream shall be reduced to no more than 10 parts per million by weight before being mixed with any other inprocess wastewater stream which contains less than 10 parts per million vinyl chloride, before being exposed to the atmosphere, before being discharged to a wastewater treatment process, or before being discharged untreated as a wastewater. This paragraph does apply to water which is used to displace vinyl chloride from equipment before it is opened to the atmosphere in accordance with s. NR 449.06 (1) (b) or par. (f) , but does not apply to water which is used to wash out equipment after the equipment has already been opened to the atmosphere in accordance with s. NR 449.06 (1) (b) or par. (f) .

2. Any vinyl chloride removed from the inprocess wastewater in accordance with subd. 1. shall be ducted through a control system from which the concentration of vinyl chloride in the exhaust gases may not exceed 10 parts per million, or equivalent as provided in s. NR 449.08

(3)   Standard operating procedure. The requirements in sub. (2) (a) , (b) and (e) to (h) shall be incorporated into a standard operating procedure and made available upon request for inspection by a department representative. The standard operating procedure shall include provisions for measuring the vinyl chloride in equipment 4.75 cubic meters (1,250 gallons) in volume for which an emission limit is prescribed in sub. (2) (f) 1. prior to opening the equipment and using Method 106 of 40 CFR part 61 , Appendix B, incorporated by reference in s. NR 484.04 (23) , a portable hydrocarbon detector, or an equivalent or alternative method. The method of measurement shall meet the requirements s. NR 449.09 (6) (e) 1. a. or b.

History: Renum. from NR 154.19 (6) (g) and am. Register, September, 1986, No. 369 , eff. 10-1-86; am. (2) (f) 1., Register, May, 1992, No. 437 , eff. 6-1-92; am. (2) (h) 3. and (3), Register, December, 1995, No. 480 , eff. 1-1-96; am. (2) (h) 3. (intro.) and a., Register, November, 1999, No. 527 , eff. 12-1-99.