On June 8, 2020, EPA finalized amendments to the 2004 National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for Plywood and Composite Wood Products (PCWP).

The PCWP source category includes 230 facilities that manufacture plywood, veneer, particleboard, oriented strand board, hardboard, fiberboard, medium density fiberboard, laminated strand lumber, laminated veneer lumber, wood I-joists, kiln-dried lumber, and glue-laminated beams.

Based on the results of required residual risk review, EPA determined that risks from the source category are acceptable and concluded that the standards continue to provide an ample margin of safety to protect public health and the environment. In addition, based on the results of the technology review, the agency identified no developments in practices, processes or control technologies that would further reduce emissions of air toxics from the emission units regulated under the PCWP NESHAP.

EPA is finalizing minor amendments to the existing regulation. These final amendments clarify that the standards are applicable during periods of startup, shutdown and malfunction; incorporate work practices for certain startup and shutdown events based on site-specific procedures; require testing every 5 years to improve performance of control technologies other than biofilters (already required to test every 2 years); and require electronic reporting of performance test results and semiannual reports.

A summary fact sheet is available below.

• FACT SHEET - Final Amendments to Air Toxics Standards for Plywood and Composite Wood Products (PDF)(2 pp, 199 K, 06/08/2020)