Current through Register Vol. 54, No.43, October 26, 2024
Section 16.11 - Toxic substances(a) These guidelines cover section 307(a) of The Federal Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C.A. § 1317(a)) priority pollutants and other toxic substances which the Department determines to be of concern due to their verified or suspected presence in wastewater discharges. Priority pollutants are the primary focus of concern because the EPA has determined them to be the most commonly used, persistent and toxic substances in wastewater discharges. They include many heavy metals and solvents.(b) In November 1980, the EPA published criteria for protection of human health and aquatic life for 104 of the 129 priority pollutants. (There are currently 126 priority pollutants since three have subsequently been deleted.) These criteria were developed in accordance with National guidelines summarized at 45 FR 79318 (1980). The EPA has updated the criteria or issued new criteria since 1980 based upon new data, and more recently, new methodologies for developing human health criteria as summarized in the Methodology for Deriving Ambient Water Quality Criteria for the Protection of Human Health (EPA-822-B-00-004, October 2000) and the National Recommended Water Quality Criteria (EPA-822-H-04-001, 2004), as amended and updated. The Department's procedures for establishing criteria for aquatic life and human health protection for priority pollutants, and other toxics of concern are discussed in this subchapter.The provisions of this §16.11 adopted March 10, 1989, effective 3/11/1989, 19 Pa.B. 1059; amended April 9, 1993, effective 4/10/1993, 23 Pa.B. 1727; amended November 17, 2000, effective 11/18/2000, 30 Pa.B. 6111; amended May 15, 2009, effective 5/16/2009, 39 Pa.B. 2543.