[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 149 (Tuesday, August 4, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 41536-41538]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-20607]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Part 268
[FRL-6133-9]
RIN 2050 AD38
Land Disposal Restrictions--Treatment Standards for Spent
Potliners From Primary Aluminum Reduction (K088); Notice of Data
Availability
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of data availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: EPA has received a number of data sets from which Land
Disposal Restrictions (LDR) may be derived for EPA Hazardous Waste:
K088--Spent potliners from primary aluminum reduction. In today's
document, the Agency is presenting these data sets for comment in the
context of developing a treatment standard for total arsenic (mg/kg) in
K088 waste.
The public has 10 days from publication of this document to comment
on these data sets and their utility in the development of K088
treatment standards. This document does not reopen for comment any
other LDR Phase III or Phase IV issue.
DATES: Comments on this document must be submitted by August 14, 1998.
ADDRESSES: To submit comments, the public must send an original and two
copies to Docket Number F-98-K88A-FFFFF, located at the RCRA Docket.
The mailing address is: RCRA Information Center, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (5305W), 401 M. Street, SW, Washington, D.C. 20460.
RCRA Information Center is located at 1235 Jefferson Davis Highway,
First Floor, Arlington, Virginia. The RCRA Information Center is open
for public inspection and copying of supporting information for RCRA
rules from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, except for Federal
holidays. The public must make an appointment to review docket
materials by calling (703) 603-9230. A maximum of 100 pages may be
copied from any regulatory document at no cost. Additional copies cost
$0.15 per page.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information or to order
paper copies of this Federal Register document, call the RCRA Hotline.
Callers within the Washington, Metropolitan Area must dial 703-412-9810
or TDD 703-412-3323 (hearing impaired). Long-distance callers may call
1-800-424-9346 or TDD 1-800-553-7672. The RCRA Hotline is open Monday-
Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Eastern Standard Time. For other information
on this document, contact Elaine Eby (703) 308-8449 or Katrin Kral at
(703) 308-6120, Office of Solid Waste, Mail Code 5302W, 401 M Street,
SW, Washington, DC 20460.
[[Page 41537]]
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
A. Paperless Office Effort
EPA is asking prospective commenters to voluntarily submit one
additional copy of their comments on labeled personal computer
diskettes in ASCII (TEXT) format or a word processing format that can
be converted to ASCII (TEXT). It is essential to specify on the disk
label the word processing software and version/edition as well as the
commenter's name. This will allow EPA to convert the comments into one
of the word processing formats utilized by the Agency. Please use
mailing envelopes designed to physically protect the submitted
diskettes. EPA emphasizes that submission of comments on diskettes is
not mandatory, nor will it result in any advantage or disadvantage to
any commenter. This expedited procedure is in conjunction with the
Agency ``Paperless Office'' campaign. For further information on the
submission of diskettes, contact Elaine Eby of the Waste Treatment
Branch at (703) 308-8449.
Availability of Rule on the Internet: Please follow these
instructions to access the rule:
From the World Wide Web (WWW), type http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr.
For the text of the document, choose: Year/Month/Day.
B. Notice of Data Availability
I. Background
K088 (spent potliner from primary aluminum production)(40 CFR
261.32) is generated by the aluminum manufacturing industry. Aluminum
production occurs in four distinct steps: (1) mining of bauxite ores;
(2) refining of bauxite to produce alumina; (3) reduction of alumina to
aluminum metal; and (4) casting of the molten aluminum. Bauxite is
refined by dissolving alumina (aluminum oxide) in a molten cryolite
bath. Next, alumina is reduced to aluminum metal. This reduction
process requires high purity aluminum oxide, carbon, electrical power,
and an electrolytic cell. An electric current reduces the alumina to
aluminum metal in electrolytic cells, called pots. These pots consist
of a steel shell lined with brick with an inner lining of carbon.
During the pot's service the liner is degraded and broken down. Upon
failure of a liner in a pot, the cell is emptied, cooled, and the
lining is removed.
In 1980, EPA listed spent potliners as a RCRA hazardous waste and
assigned the hazardous waste code K088. See 45 FR 47832 (1980).
The Phase III--Land Disposal Restrictions Rule (61 FR 15566, April
8, 1996) prohibited the land disposal of untreated spent potliner
unless the waste satisfied the section 3004(m) treatment standard
established in the same rulemaking. Phase III established treatment
standards, expressed as numerical concentration limits, for various
constituents in the waste. These constituents included arsenic,
cyanide, fluoride, toxic metals, and a group of organic compounds
called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).
With the exception of fluoride, the treatment standard limits
established for K088 were equivalent to the universal treatment
standards, developed ``by evaluating all existing Agency data from
various technologies.'' See 61 FR 15585; see also 40 CFR 268.48
(``Universal Treatment Standards'' Table). The fluoride standard,
however, was based on data submitted in a delisting petition from the
Reynolds Metal Company. In the Phase III rule, the Agency granted a
nine-month national capacity variance pursuant to section 3004 (h)(2)
``to allow facilities generating K088 adequate time to work out
logistics.'' See 61 FR 15589.
Unexpected performance problems in the Reynolds treatment process
resulted in the generation of leachate exhibiting characteristics of
hazardous waste. Consequently, the Agency postponed implementing the
land disposal prohibition for an additional six months on January 14,
1997 to be able to study the efficacy of the Reynolds treatment process
and the leachate that was generated. See 62 FR 1992, January 14, 1997.
(At the time, Reynolds was the only operational commercial treatment
facility for K088.) In July 1997, EPA announced that, ``Reynolds''
treatment (albeit imperfect) does reduce the overall toxicity
associated with the waste'' and consequently was an improvement over
the disposal of untreated spent potliner. See 62 FR 37696, July 14,
1997. On October 8, 1997, the extension ended and the prohibition on
land disposal of untreated spent potliner took effect.
Petitions for judicial review of the Phase III rule and the January
1997 and July 1997 rules were filed by Columbia Falls Aluminum Company,
et al. The petitioners argued that the use of the Toxicity
Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) does not accurately predict
the leaching of toxic constituents, particularly arsenic, to the
environment. The United States Court of Appeals for the District of
Columbia Circuit decided, on April 3, 1998, that EPA's use of the TCLP
as a basis for setting treatment standards for K088 was arbitrary and
capricious. The court consequently vacated the treatment standards for
fluoride and the metals, including arsenic, which are expressed only in
terms of the TCLP. The Court also vacated the prohibition on land
disposal. (See Columbia Falls Aluminum Company, et.al., Petitioners v.
Environmental Protection Agency, No. 96-1234, D.C. Cir.) In its
decision, the Court expressly invited EPA to file a motion to delay
issuance of the mandate in this case for a reasonable time in order to
develop a replacement standard (slip op. p. 21).
On May 18, 1998, EPA filed a motion with the D.C. Circuit Court to
stay the decision while the Agency promulgated interim treatment
standards under its Land Disposal Restrictions (LDR) program. The Court
subsequently granted the Agency until September 24, 1998 to promulgate
the aforementioned interim standards. This Notice of Data Availability
is part of the Agency's effort to meet the court deadline of September
24.
II. Description of Data Sets for Total Arsenic Concentrations in
Treated Potliner
Because the Reynolds treatment represents virtually all of the
available capacity for potliner treatment and the actual leachate
concentrations of arsenic as a result of the Reynolds treatment are not
accurately predicted by the test conditions of the TCLP, the Agency is
developing an alternative treatment standard for arsenic in K088 waste
based on the total arsenic present. In this manner, the addition of
arsenic-containing additives during treatment would be prohibited. The
Agency has examined a number of data sets, with adequate analytical
sensitivity, from which such a standard may be developed. In this
section, the Agency presents for comment these data sets.
a. Reynolds Performance Data
In April 1998, the Agency received process performance data from
Reynolds Metals Company. Total arsenic concentration data (mg/kg) were
generated from grab samples collected from the kiln residue at
Reynolds' Gum Springs, Arkansas plant from November 27, 1997 through
December 26, 1997. These data consist of 30 measurements for total
arsenic in treated residue. Total arsenic concentrations range from
8.77 to 27.6 mg/kg. Quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC)
documentation is provided with the data. The source(s) of the potliner
is not identified.
The Agency also received a one-page ``Special Laboratory Report''
(December 6, 1996) showing total arsenic concentrations (mg/kg) for
K088 potliner in both the untreated and treated forms. The reported
total arsenic
[[Page 41538]]
concentrations (mg/kg) for these six data sets are as follows:
untreated 5.17, treated 10.2; untreated 17.9, treated 11.0; untreated
7.89, treated 10.1; untreated 3.40, treated 8.90; untreated 4.82;
treated 10.3; and untreated 8.14, treated 9.61. No quality assurance/
quality control documentation is provided with this data. The source(s)
of the potliner is not identified.
b. Ormet Delisting Petition
Data from the Ormet Primary Aluminum Corporation facility in
Hannibal, Ohio was submitted to EPA in April 1994. The report, titled
Petition for Exclusion for Vitrified Product From Spent Potliner,
requested a delisting of their residues from their vitrification
treatment process. The data in the report include arsenic
concentrations found in five samples, taken from a pilot-scale
combustion melting system (CMS) vitrification process to treat K088
wastes. Total arsenic concentrations (mg/kg) in the five treated waste
samples are reported as: <2,><5,><5,><5, and="" 4.2.="" quality="" assurance/="" quality="" control="" documentation="" for="" this="" data="" set="" consists="" of="" duplicate="" samples="" and="" matrix="" spike="" recoveries="" reported="" for="" three="" of="" the="" five="" samples.="" c.="" correspondence="" from="" vortec="" corporation="" pursuant="" to="" a="" request="" by="" the="" agency="" for="" ``totals''="" data="" from="" residuals="" produced="" from="" the="" vitrification="" of="" k088="" in="" vortec="" corporation's="" vitrification="" process,="" data="" was="" received="" by="" the="" agency="" in="" a="" letter="" from="" r.="" sarah="" compton,="" kilpatrick="" stockton="" llp="" to="" ms.="" marilyn="" goode,="" u.s.="" environmental="" protection="" agency,="" dated="" february="" 26,="" 1997.="" in="" this="" letter,="" total="" arsenic="" concentrations="" are="" reported="" from="" two="" pilot-scale="" treatability="" studies="" conducted="" on="" k088="" waste.="" the="" first="" data="" set="" concerned="" tests="" conducted="" on="" waste="" generated="" by="" ravenswood="" aluminum.="" this="" data="" consists="" of="" only="" one="" datum="" point="" for="" total="" arsenic,="" which="" was="" measured="" as="" ``not="" detected''="" (less="" than="" 3="" mg/kg="" total="" arsenic).="" the="" second="" data="" set="" shows="" the="" results="" of="" a="" pilot-scale="" treatability="" study="" of="" k088="" wastes="" generated="" by="" alumax="" corporation.="" total="" arsenic="" concentrations="" (mg/kg)="" for="" this="" data="" set="" consist="" of="" seven="" data="" points:="" 4,="" 5,=""><3,><3,><3,><3, and=""><3. no="" quality="" assurance/quality="" control="" (qa/qc)="" documentation="" is="" provided="" for="" either="" of="" the="" data="" sets.="" iii.="" development="" of="" total="" arsenic="" treatment="" standard="" as="" noted,="" the="" agency="" is="" noticing="" for="" comment="" five="" data="" sets,="" one="" or="" more="" of="" which="" will="" likely="" be="" used="" to="" develop="" a="" total="" arsenic="" treatment="" standard="" for="" k088="" waste="" that="" will="" be="" promulgated="" by="" september="" 24,="" 1998.="" the="" agency's="" land="" disposal="" restrictions="" program="" (ldr)="" has="" specific="" requirements="" for="" any="" data="" set="" evaluated="" for="" possible="" best="" demonstrated="" available="" technology="" (bdat)="" analysis.="" a="" full="" range="" of="" information="" is="" necessary="" to="" determine="" whether="" a="" treatment="" and="" its="" corresponding="" performance="" data="" warrants="" further="" evaluation="" for="" possible="" development="" of="" the="" treatment="" standard.="" for="" example,="" waste="" characterization;="" treatment="" design="" and="" operating="" conditions;="" and="" quality="" assurance/="" quality="" control="" (qa/qc)="" documentation="" are="" all="" necessary="" components="" of="" a="" ``bdat="" quality''="" data="" set.="" see="" usepa="" ``final="" best="" demonstrated="" available="" technology="" (bdat)="" background="" document="" for="" quality="" assurance/="" quality="" control="" procedures="" and="" methodology,''="" office="" of="" solid="" waste,="" october="" 23,="" 1991.="" the="" agency="" is="" currently="" conducting="" a="" thorough="" evaluation="" of="" the="" aforementioned="" data="" sets="" with="" regard="" to="" the="" bdat="" protocols.="" if,="" however,="" the="" agency="" were="" to="" calculate="" a="" treatment="" standard="" from="" one="" of="" these="" data="" sets="" as="" they="" are="" presented="" today,="" a="" total="" arsenic="" treatment="" standard="" for="" k088="" would="" range="" between="" 5="" and="" 26="" mg/kg="" total="" arsenic,="" depending="" on="" the="" data="" set.="" iv.="" documents="" supporting="" this="" noda="" the="" documents="" being="" placed="" in="" the="" docket="" for="" this="" noda="" include:="" 1.="" usepa,="" preliminary="" calculation="" of="" nonwastewater="" treatment="" standard="" for="" total="" arsenic="" found="" in="" spent="" potliners="" from="" primary="" aluminum="" reduction,="" july="" 1998.="" 2.="" spent="" potliner="" analytical="" data,="" partial="" petition="" for="" exclusion,="" ormet="" corporations,="" hannabil,="" ohio.="" (to="" view="" entire="" petition,="" refer="" to="" (f-95-ph3p-s0108="" and="" f-95-ph3p-s0108.a))="" 3.="" ``special="" laboratory="" report,''="" december="" 6,="" 1996.="" reynolds="" metals="" company.="" 4.="" letter="" from="" r.="" sarah="" compton,="" kilpatrick="" stockton="" llp="" to="" ms.="" marilyn="" goode,="" u.s.="" epa,="" february="" 26,="" 1997.="" 5.="" reynolds="" lab="" reports,="" reynolds="" metals="" company,="" november="" 27,="" 1997="" through="" december="" 26,="" 1997.="" list="" of="" subjects="" in="" 40="" cfr="" part="" 268="" environmental="" protection,="" hazardous="" waste,="" reporting="" and="" recordkeeping="" requirements.="" dated:="" july="" 23,="" 1998.="" elizabeth="" a.="" cotsworth,="" acting="" director,="" office="" of="" solid="" waste.="" [fr="" doc.="" 98-20607="" filed="" 8-3-98;="" 8:45="" am]="" billing="" code="" 6560-50-p="">