Wisconsin Administrative Code
Department of Natural Resources
NR 400-499 - Environmental Protection - Air Pollution Control
Chapter NR 468 - Emission standards for hazardous air pollutants for miscellaneous processes
Section NR 468.20 - Perchloroethylene dry cleaning facilities

(a) The provisions of this section apply to the owner or operator of each dry cleaning facility that uses perchloroethylene.

(b) Each dry cleaning system that commences construction or reconstruction on or after December 9, 1991, shall be in compliance with the provisions of this section beginning on July 1, 1995 or immediately upon startup, whichever is later, except for dry cleaning systems constructed or reconstructed before September 22, 1993, which shall comply with sub. (3) (b) beginning on September 23, 1996, and shall comply with other provisions of this section by July 1, 1995.

(c) Each dry cleaning system that commenced construction or reconstruction before December 9, 1991, shall comply with subs. (3) (c), (d), (i), (j), (k), (L) and (m), (4) (d) and (5) (b), (d) 1. to 4. and (e) beginning on July 1, 1995, and shall comply with other provisions of this section by September 23, 1996.

(d) Each existing dry-to-dry machine and its ancillary equipment located in a dry cleaning facility that includes only dry-to-dry machines and each existing transfer machine system and its ancillary equipment, as well as each existing dry-to-dry machine and its ancillary equipment, located in a dry cleaning facility that includes both transfer machine systems and dry-to-dry machines is exempt from subs. (3), (4) and (5), except subs. (3) (c), (d), (i), (j), (k), (L) and (m), (4) (d) and (5) (b), (d) 1. to 4. and (e), if the total perchloroethylene consumption of the dry cleaning facility is less than 530 liters (140 gallons) per year. Consumption is determined according to sub. (4) (d).

(e) Each existing transfer machine system and its ancillary equipment located in a dry cleaning facility that includes only transfer machine systems is exempt from subs. (3), (4) and (5), except subs. (3) (c), (d), (i), (j), (k), (L), and (m), (4) (d) and (5) (b), (d) 1. to 4. and (e), if the perchloroethylene consumption of the dry cleaning facility is less than 760 liters (200 gallons) per year. Consumption is determined according to sub. (4) (d).

(f) If the total yearly perchloroethylene consumption of a dry cleaning facility determined according to sub. (4) (d) is initially less than the amounts specified in par. (d) or (e), but later exceeds those amounts, the existing dry cleaning systems in the dry cleaning facility must comply with subs. (3), (4) and (5) by 180 calendar days from the date that the facility determines it has exceeded the amounts specified, or by September 23, 1996, whichever is later.

(g) A dry cleaning facility is a major source if the facility emits or has the potential to emit more than 9.1 megagrams per year (10 tons per year) of perchloroethylene to the atmosphere. In lieu of measuring or determining a facility's potential to emit perchloroethylene emissions, a dry cleaning facility is a major source in either of the following cases:

(h) A dry cleaning facility is an area source if it does not meet the conditions of par. (g).

(i) If the total yearly perchloroethylene consumption of a dry cleaning facility determined according to sub. (4) (d) is initially less than the amounts specified in par. (g), but then exceeds those amounts, the dry cleaning facility becomes a major source and all dry cleaning systems located at that dry cleaning facility must comply with the appropriate requirements for major sources under subs. (3), (4) and (5) by 180 calendar days from the date that the facility determines it has exceeded the amount specified, or by September 23, 1996, whichever is later.

(j) All coin-operated dry cleaning machines are exempt from the requirements of this section.

(a) "Ancillary equipment" means the equipment used with a dry cleaning machine in a dry cleaning system including, but not limited to, emission control devices, pumps, filters, muck cookers, stills, solvent tanks, solvent containers, water separators, exhaust dampers, diverter valves, interconnecting piping, hoses and ducts.

(am) "Area source" means any perchloroethylene dry cleaning facility that meets the conditions of sub. (1) (h).

(b) "Articles" mean clothing, garments, textiles, fabrics and leather goods that are dry cleaned.

(bm) "Carbon adsorber" means a bed of activated carbon into which an air-perchloroethylene gas-vapor stream is routed and which adsorbs the perchloroethylene onto the carbon.

(c) "Colorimetric detector tube" means a glass tube, sealed prior to use, containing material impregnated with a chemical that is sensitive to perchloroethylene and designed to measure the concentration of perchloroethylene in air.

(d) "Construction", for purposes of this section, means the on site fabrication, erection or installation of a dry cleaning system subject to this section.

(dm) "Desorption" means regeneration of a carbon adsorber by removal of the perchloroethylene adsorbed on the carbon.

(e) "Diverter valve" means a flow control device that prevents room air from passing through a refrigerated condenser when the door of the dry cleaning machine is open.

(em) "Dry cleaning" means the process of cleaning articles using perchloroethylene.

(f) "Dry cleaning cycle" means the washing and drying of articles in a dry-to-dry machine or transfer machine system.

(fm) "Dry cleaning facility" means an establishment with one or more dry cleaning systems.

(g) "Dry cleaning machine" means a dry-to-dry machine or each machine of a transfer machine system.

(gm) "Dry cleaning machine drum" means the perforated container inside the dry cleaning machine that holds the articles during dry cleaning.

(h) "Dry cleaning system" means a dry-to-dry machine and its ancillary equipment or a transfer machine system and its ancillary equipment.

(hm) "Dryer" means a machine used to remove perchloroethylene from articles by tumbling them in a heated air stream (see reclaimer).

(i) "Dry-to-dry machine" means a one-machine dry cleaning operation in which washing and drying are performed in the same machine.

(im) "Equivalent control device" means an equivalent emission control technology as determined by the administrator.

Note: The procedure for making this determination is found under 40 CFR 63.325 as in effect on July 1, 1994.

(j) "Exhaust damper" means a flow control device that prevents the air-perchloroethylene gas-vapor stream from exiting the dry cleaning machine into a carbon adsorber before room air is drawn into the dry cleaning machine.

(jm) "Existing" means a dry cleaning system on which construction or reconstruction commenced before December 9, 1991.

(k) "Filter" means a porous device through which perchloroethylene is passed to remove contaminants in suspension. Examples include, but are not limited to, lint filter (button trap), cartridge filter, tubular filter, regenerative filter, prefilter, polishing filter and spin disc filter.

(km) "Heating coil" means the device used to heat the air stream circulated from the dry cleaning machine drum, after perchloroethylene has been condensed from the air stream and before the stream reenters the dry cleaning machine drum.

(L) "Major source" means any dry cleaning facility that meets the conditions of sub. (1)(g).

(Lm) "Muck cooker" means a device for heating perchloroethylene-laden waste material to volatilize and recover perchloroethylene.

(m) "New" means a dry cleaning system on which construction or reconstruction commenced on or after December 9, 1991.

(mm) "Perceptible leaks" mean any perchloroethylene vapor or liquid leaks that are obvious from any of the following:

(n) "Perchloroethylene consumption" means the total volume of perchloroethylene purchased based upon purchase receipts or other reliable measures.

(nm) "Reclaimer" means a machine used to remove perchloroethylene from articles by tumbling them in a heated air stream (see dryer).

(o) "Reconstruction", for purposes of this section, means replacement of a washer, dryer, or reclaimer; or replacement of any components of a dry cleaning system to such an extent that the fixed capital cost of the new components exceeds 50% of the fixed capital cost that would be required to construct a comparable new source.

(om) "Refrigerated condenser" means a vapor recovery system into which an air-perchloroethylene gas-vapor stream is routed and the perchloroethylene is condensed by cooling the gas-vapor stream.

(p) "Refrigerated condenser coil" means the coil containing the chilled liquid used to cool and condense the perchloroethylene.

(pm) "Room enclosure" means a stationary structure that encloses a transfer machine system, and is vented to a carbon adsorber or an equivalent control device during operation of the transfer machine system.

(q) "Source", for purposes of this section, means each dry cleaning system.

(qm) "Still" means any device used to volatilize and recover perchloroethylene from contaminated perchloroethylene.

(r) "Transfer machine system" means a multiple-machine dry cleaning operation in which washing and drying are performed in different machines. Examples include, but are not limited to:

(rm) "Washer" means a machine used to clean articles by immersing them in perchloroethylene. This includes a dry-to-dry machine when used with a reclaimer.

(s) "Water separator" means any device used to recover perchloroethylene from a water-perchloroethylene mixture.

(a) The owner or operator of each existing dry cleaning system shall comply with either subd. 1. or 2. and shall comply with subd. 3. if applicable.

(b) The owner or operator of each new dry cleaning system shall do all of the following:

(c) The owner or operator shall close the door of each dry cleaning machine immediately after transferring articles to or from the machine, and shall keep the door closed at all other times.

(d) The owner or operator of each dry cleaning system shall operate and maintain the system according to the manufacturers' specifications and recommendations.

(e) Each refrigerated condenser used for the purposes of complying with par. (a) or (b) and installed on a dry-to-dry machine, dryer or reclaimer shall be all of the following:

(f) Each refrigerated condenser used for the purpose of complying with par. (a) and installed on a washer shall comply with all of the following requirements:

(g) Each carbon adsorber used for the purposes of complying with par. (a) or (b) shall meet all of the following requirements:

(h) Each room enclosure used for the purposes of complying with par. (a) 3. shall meet all of the following requirements:

(i) The owner or operator of an affected facility shall drain all cartridge filters in their housing, or other sealed container, for a minimum of 24 hours, or shall treat such filters in an equivalent manner, before removal from the dry cleaning facility.

(j) The owner or operator of an affected facility shall store all perchloroethylene and wastes that contain perchloroethylene in solvent tanks or solvent containers with no perceptible leaks.

(k) Except as provided in par. (L), the owner or operator of a dry cleaning system shall inspect all of the following components weekly for perceptible leaks while the dry cleaning system is operating:

(L) The owner or operator of a dry cleaning facility with a total facility consumption below the applicable consumption levels of sub. (1) (d) or (e) shall inspect the components listed in par. (k) biweekly for perceptible leaks while the dry cleaning system is operating.

(m)

(n) If parameter values monitored under par. (e), (f) or (g) do not meet the values specified in sub. (4) (a), (b) or (c), adjustments or repairs shall be made to the dry cleaning system or control device to meet those values. If repair parts must be ordered, either a written or verbal order for such parts shall be initiated within 2 working days of detecting such a parameter value. Such repair parts shall be installed within 5 working days after receipt.

(a) When a refrigerated condenser is used to comply with sub. (3) (a) 1. or (b) 1., the owner or operator shall:

(b) When a carbon adsorber is used to comply with sub. (3) (a) 2. or exhaust is passed through a carbon adsorber immediately upon machine door opening to comply with sub. (3) (b) 3., the owner or operator shall measure the concentration of perchloroethylene in the exhaust of the carbon adsorber weekly with a colorimetric detector tube, while the dry cleaning machine is venting to that carbon adsorber at the end of the last dry cleaning cycle prior to desorption of that carbon adsorber to determine that the perchloroethylene concentration in the exhaust is equal to or less than 100 parts per million by volume. The owner or operator shall do all of the following:

(c) If the air-perchloroethylene gas-vapor stream is passed through a carbon adsorber prior to machine door opening to comply with sub. (3) (b) 3., the owner or operator of an affected facility shall measure the concentration of perchloroethylene in the dry cleaning machine drum at the end of the dry cleaning cycle weekly with a colorimetric detector tube to determine that the perchloroethylene concentration is equal to or less than 300 parts per million by volume. The owner or operator shall do all of the following:

(d) When calculating yearly perchloroethylene consumption for the purpose of demonstrating applicability according to sub. (1), the owner or operator shall perform the following calculation on the first day of every month:

(e) The total sum calculated in par. (d) is the yearly perchloroethylene consumption at the facility.

(b) Each owner or operator of a dry cleaning facility shall submit to the department by registered mail, on or before the 30th day following the compliance dates specified in sub. (1) (b) or (c), a notification of compliance status providing all of the following information and signed by a responsible official who shall certify its accuracy:

Note: If more than one compliance date under sub. (1) (b) or (c) applies to a facility, the notification of compliance status is due by 30 days after each of the applicable dates.

(c) Each owner or operator of an area source dry cleaning facility that exceeds the solvent consumption limit reported in par. (b) shall submit to the department by registered mail, on or before the dates specified in sub. (1) (f) or (i), a notification of compliance status providing all of the following information and signed by a responsible official who shall certify its accuracy:

(d) Each owner or operator of a dry cleaning facility shall keep receipts of perchloroethylene purchases and a log of all the following information, and maintain such information on site for a period of 5 years and show it upon request to a representative of the department:

(e) Each owner or operator of a dry cleaning facility shall retain onsite a copy of the design specifications and the operating manuals for each dry cleaning system and each emission control device located at the dry cleaning facility.