Air Emission Standards for Process Vents

The first set of air emission standards address the emissions of process vents. A "process vent" is any open-ended pipe or smokestack that releases emissions directly into the atmosphere or through another system or tank. Process vents are typically used with treatment technologies for hazardous wastes that generate VOCs. Some of the commonly used technologies are as follows:

• Distillation (removal of contaminants through a process of heating and cooling)
• Fractionation (separation and isolation of contaminants)
• Thin-film evaporation (thermal separation of components by a mechanically generated film that is thin and turbulent, causing the volatile compounds to quickly evaporate from the waste)
• Solvent extraction (separation based on the different solubilities of the waste components)

The regulations also apply to air stripping and steam stripping operations that are used to manage certain hazardous wastes. Owners and operators of TSDFs who employ these methods for hazardous waste treatment must comply with the RCRA regulations by either modifying their treatment process or installing a device that effectively controls the level of organic emissions.

To learn more about RCRA safety standards visit our RCRA Refresher Online Training web page.