Performance Standard for Dry Cleaners

(1) No dry cleaner shall discharge industrial wastewater to the ground, septic system, or other on-site disposal system without a groundwater discharge permit pursuant to 314 CMR 5.00, or to surface water without a permit pursuant to 314 CMR 3.00. (2) Each dry cleaner with a POTW permit shall comply with the terms and conditions of that permit. (3) Each dry cleaner shall comply with the general and specific prohibitions listed below: (a) General Prohibitions. No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged to a POTW any substances, materials or wastewaters that can harm the sewers, wastewater treatment process, or equipment; have an adverse impact on the receiving waters or can otherwise endanger life, limb, public property or constitute a nuisance. In determining the acceptability of these wastewaters, consideration shall be given to such factors as the quantities of such wastewaters in relation to flows and velocities in the sewers, materials or construction of sewers,nature of the wastewater treatment process, capacity of the wastewater treatment process, degree of treatability of such wastewaters in the wastewater treatment plant, and other pertinent factors. Pollutants introduced into POTWs by a non domestic source shall not pass through the POTW or interfere with the operation or performance of the works. These general prohibitions and the specific prohibitions listed in the 310 CMR 72.04(3)(b) apply to all non-domestic sources introducing pollutants into a POTW whether or not the source is subject to other pretreatment standards or any other Federal, State or local pretreatment requirements. (b) Specific Prohibitions. In addition, the following pollutants shall not be introduced into a POTW: 1. Pollutants which create a fire or explosion hazard in the POTW; 2. Pollutants which cause corrosive structural damage to the POTW, but in no case discharges with pH lower than 5.5 or more than 9.5, unless the works is specificallydesigned to accommodate such discharges; 3. Solid or viscous pollutants in amounts which will cause obstruction to the flow in the POTW resulting in interference; 4. Any pollutant, including oxygen demanding pollutants discharged in a flow rate and/or pollutant concentration which will cause interference with the POTW; 5. Heat in amounts whichwillinhibit biologicalactivityinthe POTW resulting in interference, but in no case heat in such quantities that the temperature at the POTW treatment plant exceeds 40°C (104°F) unless the Division, upon request of the POTW, approves alternate temperature limits. 6. Wastewatercontaining perchloroethylene, except that separator water may be discharged. (4) Each dry cleaner that treats industrial wastewater shall comply with 314 CMR 12.03(3) and 12.04(2). (5) Dry cleaners using tanks or containers to store industrial wastewater shall: (a) use tanks which: 1. have a containment structure with 110% capacity of the total volume of all above-ground tanks; 2. have a bell and light alarm in a conspicuous location if they are remotely/ automatically filled tanks. The alarm must activate when the level of wastewater reaches 75% capacity of the tank and the alarm signal must be transmitted to a staffed location. Manually filled tanks must be provided with visual or sight glass type of level measurement; 3. are located to provide year round access for emptying; 4. have odor control as necessary; 5. are made of, or lined with, materials which will not react with, and otherwise be compatible with the, industrial wastewater to be stored; and, impervious to contain leaks and spills. (b) use containers which: 1. satisfy requirements set by the Department of Transportation for transportation of waste off-site, and impervious to contain leaks and spills. (c) maintain records sufficient to demonstrate that all industrial wastewater is shipped off-site to the POTW, including, but not limited to, transporter name and address, dates of shipment, amount shipped, and destination. These records shall be kept on-site for at least three years. (d) implement the following operating procedures and work practices: 1. spill control measures when filling, emptying or transporting containers 2. report to the local Board of Health within 24 hours any occurrence of spills released to the environment (6) Wastewater containing perchloroethylene shall not be evaporated, except that separator water may be evaporated.