Less costly boiler rule OK'd
Heath E. Combs -- Furniture Today, March 4, 2011
WASHINGTON — New Clean Air Act rules released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency last week for industrial boilers that use wood waste are likely to be much less costly for the industry than the rules initially proposed last year.
The EPA was required to release the rules, commonly known as Boiler MACT, after a court in January declined an extension the agency was seeking.
Boiler MACT stands for Maximum Achievable Control Technology.
The rules affect about 200,000 boilers in the United States, the EPA said.
Furniture manufacturers have argued that rules proposed last year would increase their costs and prevent them from burning wood, a waste product from manufacturing, in their factory boilers.
Officials with the American Home Furnishings Alliance say that compliance the new rules may cost much less than it would have under the rules proposed earlier. The EPA said the new rules will be about 50% less costly overall for those who use industrial boilers.
Bill Perdue, AHFA's Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, estimates that the cost of compliance for home furnishings manufacturers, which could have been as high as $3 million per large boiler, may be significantly reduced and perhaps will be as low as $200,000.
"AHFA received the boiler rule (last week) and is reviewing the 1,700-page document in detail to determine the impact of new provisions on the residential furniture industry. After a cursory review of key areas, we are pleased that certain issues of concern appear to have been addressed," the AHFA said in a statement. "This positive outcome is a direct result of the industry's protracted and persistent involvement in the rulemaking process - under AHFA's leadership, but with critical support from its member company executives."
The EPA also reported that by limiting toxic emissions into the air, the new rules will avoid between 2,600 to 6,600 premature deaths, prevent 4,100 heart attacks and avert 42,000 asthma attacks per year by 2014.
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