As the air pollution regulatory agency for all of Orange County and the urban portions of Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties, the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) controls emissions from stationary sources of air pollution. It does this by regulating air quality through a comprehensive series of rules.
The SCAQMD Rule Book has been adopted to reduce emissions from various sources, including specific types of equipment, industrial processes, paints and solvents, and some consumer products. SCAQMD staff conducts periodic inspections to ensure compliance with these requirements.
Since fall 2016, the City of Paramount has been closely tracking a handful of rules relevant to addressing and lowering hexavalent chromium emissions. Aside from Rule 1430, Rules 1426, 1469, and 1480 are in the process of being updated and amended to ensure best overall community health.
RULE 1426 – Emissions from Metal Finishing Operations
This rule applies to all facilities performing chromium, nickel, cadmium, lead or copper electroplating operations, or chromic acid anodizing. Further, facilities with process tanks containing sulfuric acid, nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, chromic acid (excluding chromic acid used in electroplating and anodizing tanks), and sodium hydroxide used in spraying operations associated with any of the above electroplating or anodizing operations are also affected.
Facilities affected by Rule 1426 must submit an initial compliance report and subsequent compliance reports for any significant changes and progress activity. The facilities are also subject to data collection, specific housekeeping practices, and inspection and maintenance requirements. Lastly, tanks containing chromic acid must not be air sparged (i.e. injecting pressurized air into contaminated groundwater) when the tank is not in use, and can only be air sparged up to one hour prior to parts being placed in the tank and one hour after parts are removed from the tank.
Rule 1426 applies to:
- Sav-On Plating (15523 Illinois Ave, Paramount, CA 90723)
RULE 1469 – Hexavalent Chromium Emissions from Chromium Electroplating and Chromic Acid Anodizing Operations
The purpose of this rule is to reduce hexavalent chromium emissions from facilities that perform chromium electroplating or chromic acid anodizing operations and other activities that are generally associated with chromium electroplating and chromic acid anodizing operations.
Under this rule, facilities must only operate Tier II and Tier III hexavalent chromium tanks within a building enclosure. Additionally, the facilities must implement various housekeeping requirements, best management practices, and air pollution control technique requirements.
Facilities that need to be in compliance with Rule 1469 must also follow the requirements of Rules 1401 and 1469.
Rule 1469 applies to:
- Anaplex Corporation (15547 Garfield Ave, Paramount, CA 90723)
SCAQMD is currently in the process of amending this rule. The draft staff report and proposed rule language has been available since August 8, 2018 on the SCAQMD website. The Public Hearing is scheduled for September 7, 2018.
RULE 1480 – Toxic Metals Monitoring
The purpose of this rule is to create a framework that combines the five existing toxic air monitoring rules — Rules 1156, 1420, 1420.1, 1420.2, and 1466. Rather than supersede the existing rules, Rule 1480 will attempt to clarify guidelines and jurisdiction between the five rules.
Once finalized and approved, Rule 1480 would provide a way to look at all toxic metals monitoring comprehensively. The rule would also offer a guide for facilities to check on which requirements from which rule applies to them.
SCAQMD is currently in the process of creating this rule.
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