Pesticide Active Ingredient Production Industry: National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP)

Rule Summary

The intent of these standards is to reduce emissions of hazardous air pollutants (HAP) from existing and new facilities that manufacture organic pesticide active ingredients (PAI) used in herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides.

The major HAP emitted by these facilities include toluene, methanol, methyl chloride, and hydrogen chloride (HCl). All of these pollutants can cause reversible or irreversible toxic effects following exposure.

The rule is estimated to reduce total HAP emissions from existing facilities by 2,500 megagrams per year (Mg/yr) (2,755 tons per year (tons/yr)), a reduction of 65 percent from the baseline emission level. Because many of these pollutants are also volatile organic compounds (VOC), which are precursors to ambient ozone, the rule will aid in the reduction of tropospheric ozone. 

See the regulations below for more details.

Rule History

09/20/2002 - Final Rule

06/03/2002 - Final Rule

05/01/2002 - Withdrawal of Direct Final Rule

04/10/2002 - Direct Final Rule

03/22/2002 - Proposed Rule

11/21/2001 - Direct Final Rule

06/23/1999 - Final Rule

12/17/1997 - Extension of Public Comment Period

11/10/1997 - Proposed Rule

Additional Resources

Summary of Public Comments and Responses document for Final Hazardous Air Pollutant (HAP) Standards for Pesticide Active Ingredient Production Industry

Fact Sheets for Final and Proposed Rule

Overview of the Pesticide Active Ingredient MACT Standard