R307-206. Emission Standards: Abrasive Blasting  


R307-206-1. Purpose
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R307-206 establishes work practice and emission standards for abrasive blasting operations for sources located statewide except for those sources listed in section IX, Part H of the state implementation plan or located in a PM10 nonattainment or maintenance area.


R307-206-2. Definitions
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  (1) The following additional definitions apply to R307-206:

  "Abrasive Blasting" means the operation of cleaning or preparing a surface by forcibly propelling a stream of abrasive material against the surface.

  "Abrasive Blasting Equipment" means any equipment utilized in abrasive blasting operations.

  "Confined Blasting" means any abrasive blasting conducted in an enclosure which significantly restricts air pollutants from being emitted to the ambient atmosphere, including but not limited to shrouds, tanks, drydocks, buildings and structures.

  "Multiple Nozzles" means a group of two or more nozzles being used for abrasive cleaning of the same surface in such close proximity that their separate plumes are indistinguishable.

  "Unconfined Blasting" means any abrasive blasting which is not confined blasting as defined above.


R307-206-3. Applicability
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R307-206 applies statewide to any abrasive blasting operation, except for any source that is listed in Section IX, Part H of the state implementation plan or that is located in a PM10 nonattainment or maintenance area.


R307-206-4. Visible Emission Standards
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Visible emissions from abrasive blasting operations shall not exceed 40% opacity, except for an aggregate period of three minutes in any one hour.


R307-206-5. Visible Emission Evaluation Techniques
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  (1) Visible emissions shall be measured using EPA Method 9. Visible emissions from intermittent sources shall use procedures similar to Method 9, but the requirement for observations to be made at 15 second intervals over a six-minute period shall not apply.

  (2) Visible emissions from unconfined blasting shall be measured at the densest point of the emission after a major portion of the spent abrasive has fallen out, at a point not less than five feet nor more than twenty-five feet from the impact surface from any single abrasive blasting nozzle.

  (3) An unconfined blasting operation that uses multiple nozzles shall be considered a single source unless it can be demonstrated by the owner or operator that each nozzle, measured separately, meets the emission and performance standards provided in R307-206-2 through 4.

  (4) Visible emissions from confined blasting shall be measured at the densest point after the air pollutant leaves the enclosure.