EPA opens comment period related to pyrolysis, gasification regs

September 8, 2021

BY Erin Krueger

The U.S. EPA on Sept. 8 issued an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) seeking public comments to assist in the potential development of regulations for pyrolysis and gasification units that are used to convert solid or semi-solid feedstocks into useful products, such as energy, fuels and chemical commodities.

The ANPRM explains that the agency is seeking comments and data to assist in the consideration of potential changes to existing regulations under Clean Air Act section 129 or the development of regulations pertaining to pyrolysis and gasification units used to produce useful products. Feedstocks addressed in the ANPRM include solid waste, including municipal solid waste (MSW), commercial and industrial waste, hospital/medical/infectious waste, sewage sludge, and other solid waste; biomass; plastics; tires; and organic contaminants in soils and oily sludges.

“As a result of recent market trends, especially with respect to plastics recycling, the EPA has received several inquiries about regulations under CAA section 129 for solid waste incineration units and the applicability of such regulations to pyrolysis and gasification units for a variety of process and feedstock types,” the EPA said in the ANPR. “Based on these requests and the differences in language pertaining to pyrolysis among the CAA section 129 rules, the agency believes that there is considerable confusion in the regulated community regarding the applicability of CAA section 129 to pyrolysis and gasification units.”

The EPA said it in August 2020 proposed various revisions to section 129 regulations for “other solid waste incineration units,” including a proposed proposal to remove the reference to “pyrolysis/combustion units.” In light of comments received on that proposal and ongoing questions about the regulation of pyrolysis and gasification units, the EPA has determined that issuance of the new ANPRM will help the agency gain a comprehensive understanding of these units to aid in potential development of future regulations or changes to existing CAA section 129 regulations pertaining to pyrolysis and gasification units.

Advertisement

Advertisement

According to the agency, the ANPRM provides EPA with an opportunity to gather information on the design, types, and sizes of pyrolysis and gasification units. It also allows the agency to identify other issues for consideration, including appropriate categorization of pyrolysis and gasification units.

The public comment period is open through Nov. 8. A full copy of the ANPRM is available on the Federal Register website

Advertisement

Advertisement

Related Stories

The U.S. Department of Energy Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) announced up to $23 million in funding to support research and development (R&D) of domestic chemicals and fuels from biomass and waste resources.

Read More

The U.S. DOE has announced its intent to issue funding to support high-impact research and development (R&D) projects in two priority areas: sustainable propane and renewable chemicals and algal system cultivation and preprocessing.

Read More

Sens. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., in August introduced the Renewable Chemicals Act, a bill that aims to create a tax credit to support the production of biobased chemicals.

Read More

The Chemical Catalysis for Bioenergy Consortium, a consortium of the U.S. DOE’s Bioenergy Technologies Office, has launched an effort that aims to gather community input on the development of new biomass processing facilities.

Read More

USDA on March 8 celebrated the second annual National Biobased Products Day, a celebration to raise public awareness of biobased products, their benefits and their contributions to the U.S. economy and rural communities.

Read More

Upcoming Events

Sign up for our e-newsletter!

Advertisement

Advertisement