What is MATS EPA?
slide 1 of 1. Protecting our children and communities by limiting emissions of mercury and other air toxics from power plants.
How is mercury an air pollutant?
Mercury occurs naturally in the earth’s crust, but human activities, such as mining and fossil fuel combustion, have led to widespread global mercury pollution. Mercury emitted into the air eventually settles into water or onto land where it can be washed into water.
Is mercury illegal in the US?
Federal agencies are prohibited from conveying, selling or distributing metallic mercury that is under their control or jurisdiction. This includes stockpiles held by the Departments of Energy and Defense. Export of metallic mercury is prohibited from the United States beginning January 1, 2013.
What is Neshap?
The National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) is an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standard that is applicable within the United States to the emissions of hazardous air pollutants produced by corporations, institutions and at Agencies at all levels of government.
What is the benefit of mercury?
In one of the first studies to include heart attacks in its calculations of costs and benefits, 80% of the benefits associated with reduced mercury exposure ($8.6 billion/year in the US) were due to reduced heart attacks.
What does the clean power plan do?
The Clean Power Plan would reduce carbon emissions from power plant smokestacks — and by doing so it would also create new opportunities to continue development of the strong, vibrant clean energy economy that is creating prosperity.
Where do you find mercury naturally?
Mercury is a naturally-occurring chemical element found in rock in the earth’s crust, including in deposits of coal. On the periodic table, it has the symbol “Hg” and its atomic number is 80.
How is mercury toxic?
The inhalation of mercury vapour can produce harmful effects on the nervous, digestive and immune systems, lungs and kidneys, and may be fatal. The inorganic salts of mercury are corrosive to the skin, eyes and gastrointestinal tract, and may induce kidney toxicity if ingested.
What states have banned mercury?
Dental Amalgam click to expand contents
| State | Sales Ban | Dental Amalgam Separators and/or Recycling Required |
|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | No Amalgam is not included in the definition of “mercury-added product” | No |
| Maine | No | Yes Separators required |
| Massachusetts | No | Yes Separators required |
| Michigan | No | Yes |
Why is mercury banned?
Talks have begun in Geneva on an agreement to ban the use of mercury. The metal is a threat to the health of millions, especially in developing countries. Mercury is a highly toxic heavy metal which gets into the food chain via water, where it concentrates particularly in the bodies of fish.
When does the EPA propose changes to Mats?
August 23, 2016 – EPA is proposing changes to the electronic reporting requirements for MATS. This is the next step toward streamlining the “e-reporting” requirements in MATS so power plants can submit all the required emissions data through a single, familiar electronic system — rather than two separate systems.
When do the new EPA Mercury standards go into effect?
April 3, 2020 – EPA proposed minor revisions to the 2012 Coal- and Oil-Fired Electric Utility Steam Generating Units National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP), known as the Mercury Air Toxics Standards (MATS).
What is the control number of the mats ICR?
The file(s) below provide(s) the information obtained through the MATS ICR (ICR No. 2362.01; OMB Control Number 2060-0631). The information provided is the latest available prior to signature of the proposal package.
What are the new EPA acid gas emission standards?
EPA also is establishing emission standards for these facilities to control acid gas hazardous air pollutant emissions. The new subcategory and emission standards will affect six existing EGUs that burn EBCR. All are small units operating in Pennsylvania or West Virginia.
