The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released its Effluent Guidelines Program Plan 15 (Plan 15) which, among other things, focuses on evaluating the extent and nature of both nutrient and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) discharges.
The Plan: Plan 15 lays out how the Agency will work to protect the US waterways by following the science and the Clean Water Act to develop technology-based pollution limits and studies on wastewater discharges from industrial sources.
- It also advances EPA’s commitment in the PFAS Strategic Roadmap to restrict PFAS discharges from industrial sources through a multi-faceted Effluent Limitations Guidelines programme.
- Plan 15 announces EPA’s determination that revised effluent limitations guidelines and pretreatment standards (ELGs) are warranted for reducing PFAS in leachate discharges from landfills.
- The Agency made this decision after concluding a detailed study that was discussed in Preliminary Effluent Guidelines Program Plan 15.
In the Works: EPA continues to focus on assessing opportunities to limit PFAS discharges from multiple industrial categories, as outlined in its 2021 PFAS Strategic Roadmap.
- The detailed study of the Textile Mills Category will be expanded to gather information on the use and treatment of PFAS in this industry and associated PFAS discharges.
- A POTW (publicly owned treatment works) Influent Study of PFAS will focus on collecting nationwide data on industrial discharges of PFAS to POTWs, including categories recently reviewed.
- EPA plans to verify sources of PFAS wastewater and help POTWs assess the need for control measures at the source.
What Else: The Agency is also announcing several new and expanded studies as part of the action, including:
- an expansion of the ongoing study of PFAS discharges from textile manufacturers;
- a new study of publicly owned treatment works (POTW) influents to characterise the PFAS concentrations from industrial dischargers to POTWs and inform implementation of pretreatment programmes to address them; and
- a new study on concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) to make an informed, reasoned decision on whether to undertake rulemaking to revise the ELGs for CAFOs.
What They Said:
For 50 years, EPA has implemented the Clean Water Act to protect our nation’s waters that are essential to healthy communities. This Effluent Guidelines Program Plan represents a critical next step to tackle pollutants like PFAS and nutrients at the source, before they can harm our health and the environment.
— Radhika Fox
Assistant Administrator for Water
Environmental Protection Agency
