The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates dry kiln condensate in 40 CFR 429.130 under the “Finishing” subcategory. The EPA asserts that there shall be no discharge of process wastewater pollutants into navigable water. Furthermore, lumber manufacturers are subject to Industrial Stormwater Permitting Regulations under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). Lumber manufacturers are covered under Sector A: Timber Products of the EPA’s Multi-Sector General Permit (MSGP), which states that as a process water discharge, kiln condensate is considered a non-allowable stormwater discharge. Section 6 of the MSGP states that any discharges not expressly authorized in the MSGP cannot become authorized or shielded from liability under the Clean Water Act section 402(k), preventing state environmental divisions from permitting kiln condensate to discharge into state waters. Because of the multiple layers of regulations, there can be no direct discharge of kiln condensate to state waters, regardless of how well the kiln condensate is treated.
Despite the multitude of restrictions on kiln condensate discharges, there are solutions that are environmentally compliant with local, state, and federal regulations. Over the past several years, CTI has coordinated between lumber manufacturers and environmental agencies to ensure lumber manufacturers can continue to operate their Continuous Dry Kilns (CDKs) while also ensuring complete environmental compliance. The kiln condensate solutions vary greatly and depend on several factors; there is no “one-solution-fits-all” with kiln condensate.
If you would like to continue operating your CDKs with peace of mind regarding environmental agencies, or are considering adding a CDK to your facility, please let us know and we will be happy to send you a proposal. We are confident that we can find the most cost-effective solution for your facility’s kiln condensate discharge.
For more in-depth information, we prepared the White Paper: Discharge of Lumber Kiln Drying Condensate that offers a broader review of regulatory compliance options.
Please let us know if you have any questions at 770-263-6330 or cti@conversiontechnology.com.