Plan Set for 2008 Effluent Guidelines Program
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has published its final 2008 Effluent Guidelines Program Plan in the Federal Register on Sept. 15 (http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-WATER/2008/September/Day-15/w21484.pdf).
Effluent guidelines are industry-specific national regulations that control the discharge of pollutants to surface waters and to publicly owned treatment works. The plan announces that EPA will conduct focused detailed reviews in 2009 and 2010 for the steam electric power-generating industry; the coalbed methane extraction portion of the oil and gas extraction industry; and unused pharmaceutical disposal in the health services industry.
The agency already has initiated a study on pharmaceutical disposal practices at health care facilities, such as hospitals, hospices, long-term care facilities, and veterinary hospitals. A draft information collection request on unused pharmaceuticals management in the health service industry was published in the Federal Register in August for comment. The preliminary effluent guideline plan was published for public comment in October 2007.
Contact Carey Johnston at 202-566-1014 or email him at johnston.carey@epa.gov for more information about the 2008 Plan.