The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has submitted a new Information Collection Request (ICR) for the Textile Mills Industry Data Collection to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The ICR, titled EPA ICR Number 2798.01, seeks to gather comprehensive data on textile mills' wastewater discharges, with a focus on pollutants such as PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). Public comments are invited until October 30, 2024.
Key Details of the Information Collection Request
The proposed ICR is part of EPA’s broader efforts under the Clean Water Act (CWA) to update effluent limitations guidelines (ELGs) for textile mills. The original guidelines were set in 1974 and were later amended in 1977 and 1982. These regulations limit pollutants from mills discharging wastewater either directly to surface waters or indirectly via publicly owned treatment works (POTWs).
The EPA’s primary goal is to assess whether the current regulations are sufficient, particularly regarding PFAS. This substance is widely used in textile manufacturing and has raised significant environmental and health concerns. The data collection will focus on:
- Identifying textile mills using PFAS.
- Estimating wastewater discharge volumes.
- Evaluating the effectiveness of pollution control technologies.
Scope of the Data Collection
EPA has identified approximately 2,243 textile mills across the United States, all of which will receive the questionnaire. Additionally, a subset of around 20 mills will be required to conduct wastewater sampling. This data will help the agency evaluate whether more stringent regulations are needed and guide future rulemaking efforts.
