Page
1
of
9
Memorandum
From:
Jan
Matuszko
USEPA/
OW/
OST
ph:
(
202)
566
1035
matuszko.
jan@
epa.
gov
To:
Public
Record
for
the
2006
Effluent
Guidelines
Program
Plan
EPA
Docket
Number
OW­
2004­
0032
(
www.
epa.
gov/
edockets/)

Date:
August
11,
2005
Re:
Independent
and
Standalone
Laboratories
Introduction
This
section
discusses
independent
standalone
laboratories
separately
from
medical
and
dental
laboratories
which
have
their
own
profile.

Industry
Profile
Independent
and
Standalone
Laboratories
include
facilities
in
SIC
codes
8731:
Commercial
Physical
and
Biological
Research,
and
8734:
Testing
Laboratories.
The
1987
SIC
Code
Manual
defines
these
SIC
codes
as
follows:


8731:
Establishments
primarily
engaged
in
commercial
physical
and
biological
research
and
development
on
a
contract
or
fee
basis,
such
as
chemical
laboratories
and
commercial
research
facilities.
Noncommercial
research
establishments
funded
by
endowments,
grants,
or
contributions
are
classified
in
Industry
8733.
Separate
establishments
of
aircraft,
guided
missile,
or
spacecraft
manufacturers
primarily
engaged
in
research
and
development
on
these
products
are
classified
in
Manufacturing,
Major
Group
37.


8734:
Establishments
primarily
engaged
in
providing
testing
services,
such
as
forensic
laboratories,
pollution
testing,
hydrostatic
testing,
and
radiation
dosimetry
laboratories.
Establishments
primarily
engaged
in
performing
clinical
laboratory
testing
for
the
medical
profession
are
classified
in
Industry
8071.
Page
2
of
9
Table
1­
1.
Census
Data
SIC
Code
NAICS
Code
Number
of
Facilities
in
1997
Number
of
Facilities
in
2002
8731:
Commercial
physical
&
biological
research
541710:
Research
&
Development
in
the
Physical,
Engineering,
and
Life
Sciences
9,173
13,033
8734:
Testing
laboratories
541380:
Testing
laboratories
5,488
None
Table
1­
2.
TRI
Facility
Counts
SIC
Code
Number
of
Facilities
Reporting
to
2000
TRI
Direct­
Only
Indirect­
Only
Both
No
Reported
Discharge
8731
1
0
1
1
8734
0
1
0
0
Table
1­
3.
PCS
Facility
Counts
SIC
Code
Minors
Majors
8731
31
4
8734
6
3
Lab
operations
differ
from
other
industries
in
that
labs
typically
use
low
quantities
of
a
wide
variety
of
substances.
Operations
are
also
highly
variable.
As
a
result,
labs
typically
generate
a
small
quantity
of
a
large
variety
of
pollutants.

Table
1­
4.
Wastewater
Flow
Data
SIC
Code
NPID
Flow
(
MGY)

8731
AR0044415
4.31
8731
AR0048003
1.79
8731
DE0000566
41.31
8731
FL0044377
189.67
8731
IL0001473
156.96
8731
IL0048119
140.13
8731
MA0003638
1.50
8731
MD0000850
0.15
SIC
Code
NPID
Flow
(
MGY)

Page
3
of
9
8731
MD0020842
77.50
8731
MD0020851
45.95
8731
MD0057452
0.16
8731
MD0057991
0.00
8731
NJ0000272
38.56
8731
NJ0000809
13.32
8731
NJ0004243
3.67
8731
NJ0027731
134.80
8731
NJ0031305
68.40
8731
NJ0032913
19.98
8731
NY0001201
111.06
8731
NY0003972
131.65
8731
NY0005754
320.57
8731
NY0005835
936.15
8731
NY0005843
273.00
8731
NY0005851
1,822.72
8731
NY0007030
104.10
8731
NY0007170
19.21
8731
OH0000949
13.09
8731
TN0002941
6,388.33
8731
TX0052761
404.34
8731
TX0106526
0.22
Max
6,388.33
Min
0.00
Median
57.18
8734
IL0045241
36.10
8734
IN0000493
439.95
8734
MI0001911
73.25
8734
MI0003425
6.69
8734
MI0046540
74.85
8734
NH0022055
0.91
8734
NH0022985
2.24
8734
NJ0005053
5.82
SIC
Code
NPID
Flow
(
MGY)

Page
4
of
9
8734
WA0025917
290.70
Max
439.95
Min
0.91
Median
36.10
Table
1­
5.
TRIReleases2000
Data
for
Wastewater
to
POTW
SIC
Code
#
of
Facilities
Reporting
Pounds
TWPE
8731
1
14
14
8734
1
25
0.42
Table
1­
6.
Discharges
Reported
to
TRIReleases2000
SIC
Code
Discharge
Status
Pounds
TWPE
8731
Direct
50,919
240
8731
Indirect
3.6
5.0
8734
Indirect
1.04
0.016
Table
1­
7.
Discharges
Reported
to
PCSLoads2000
SIC
Code
Pounds
TWPE
8731
604,051
1,187
8734
1,112,662
6.91
Page
5
of
9
Table
1­
8.
Top
Discharges
in
TRIReleases2000
Data
SIC
Code
Top
Pollutants
by
TWPE
Top
Pollutants
by
Pounds
Chemical
TWPE
%
of
Total
SIC
TWPE
Chemical
Pounds
%
of
Total
SIC
Pounds
8731
Copper
149
61%
Nitrate
compounds
50,000
98%

8731
Lead
91
37%

8731
Total
245
Total
50,923
8734
1,2,4­
Trimethylbenzene
0.0081
51%
Benzene
0.30
28%

8734
Benzene
0.0054
34%
1,2,4­
Trimethylbenzene
0.29
28%

8734
Toluene
0.0014
9%
Toluene
0.25
24%

8734
Xylene
(
mixed
isomers)
0.20
19%

8734
Total
0.016
Total
1.04
Table
1­
9.
Top
Pollutants
from
PCSLoads2000
SIC
Code
Top
Pollutants
by
TWPE
Top
Pollutants
by
Pounds
Parameter
TWPE
%
of
Total
SIC
TWPE
Parameter
Pounds
%
of
Total
SIC
Pounds
8731
Iron,
Total
(
As
Fe)
805
68%
Sulfate,
Total
(
As
SO4)
351,671
58%

8731
Chlorine,
Total
Residual
133
11%
Iron,
Total
(
As
Fe)
143,834
24%

8731
Silver,
Total
(
As
Ag)
121
10%
Solids,
Total
Dissolved
60,422
10%

8731
Copper,
Total
(
As
Cu)
67
6%

8731
Total
1,187
Total
604,051
8734
Silver
Total
Recoverable
1.68
24%
Solids,
Total
Dissolved
1,100,407
99%

8734
Zinc,
Total
(
As
Zn)
1.33
19%

8734
Copper
Total
Recoverable
1.25
18%

8734
Aluminum,
Total
Recoverable
1.17
17%
SIC
Code
Top
Pollutants
by
TWPE
Top
Pollutants
by
Pounds
Parameter
TWPE
%
of
Total
SIC
TWPE
Parameter
Pounds
%
of
Total
SIC
Pounds
Page
6
of
9
8734
Lead
Total
Recoverable
0.39
6%

8734
Nitrogen,
Ammonia
Total
(
As
N)
0.37
5%

8734
Arsenic,
Total
Recoverable
0.22
3%

8734
Total
6.91
Total
1,112,662
Typical
operations
at
Independent
and
Stand
Alone
Laboratories
include
the
following:

°
Contract
research
in
the
healthcare,
chemical,
natural
resources,
energy,
or
manufacturing
industries;
or
°
Commercial
testing
labs
in
the
environmental,
material
science,
healthcare,
industrial
hygiene,
food,
and
engineering
sectors.

Facilities
in
SIC
codes
8731
and
8734
who
do
not
meet
the
TRI
reporting
thresholds
are
not
required
to
report
to
TRI.
If
a
lab
operates
as
part
of
a
larger
facility
that
is
subject
to
TRI
reporting,
then
its
releases
are
included
in
the
facility's
TRI
report.
Table
1­
10
lists
the
facilities
that
reported
to
TRI
under
SIC
codes
8731
and
8734
for
reporting
year
2000.

Table
1­
10.
List
of
Facilities
in
TRIReleases2000
SIC
Facility
Name
City
State
Discharge
Type
TWPE
8731
Alcoa
Tech.
Center
New
Kensington
PA
Direct
5.9
8731
Penta
Biotech
Union
City
CA
No
Reported
Discharge
8731
U.
S.
DOE
Oak
Ridge
Natl.
Laboratory
Oak
Ridge
TN
Direct
234.6475
8731
U.
S.
DOE
Oak
Ridge
Natl.
Laboratory
Oak
Ridge
TN
Indirect
4.953196
8731
W.
R.
Grace
&
Co.
Conn
Columbia
MD
No
Reported
Discharge
8734
BP
Naperville
Complex
F­
3ehs
Naperville
IL
Indirect
0.0159
Table
1­
11
lists
the
facilities
that
reported
to
PCS
for
reporting
year
2000.
Page
7
of
9
Table
1­
11.
List
of
Facilities
in
PCSLoads2000
SIC
Facility
Name
City
TWPE
Major/
Minor
NPDES
8731
Brookhaven
National
Laboratory
Upton
1,015
Major
NY0005835
8731
Hopewell
Business
Center
Hopewell
Twp
1.27
Major
NJ0000809
8731
Occidental
­
Technology
Ctr
Grand
Island
140
Major
NY0001201
8731
USDOE­
ORNL
Anderson
County
30.72
Major
TN0002941
8731
Chazy
Drug
Safety
Eval
Fac
Chazy
0.35
Minor
NY0007170
8731
Corning
Inc
­
Sullivan
Park
Painted
Post
­
Minor
NY0003972
8731
Dupont­
chestnut
Run
Wilmington
4.15
Minor
DE0000566
8731
Edi
Test
Facility
...
Albany
­
Minor
NY0000001
8731
Elementis
Specialties_
inc
E
Windsor
Minor
NJ0004243
8731
Exxonmobil
Research
&
Eng
Co
Annandale
0.90
Minor
NJ0035084
8731
Factory
Mutual
Engineering
Cor
Norwood
­
Minor
MA0003638
8731
FMC
Corp
Plainsboro
1.77
Minor
NJ0027731
8731
General
Electric
Res
&
Dev
Ctr
Niskayuna
147
Minor
NY0007030
8731
Heat
Transfer
Research
Inc
and
College
Station
Minor
TX0106526
8731
Hercules
Incorporated
Wilmington
Minor
DE0000230
8731
Honeywell
International
Inc
Morristown
0.07
Minor
NJ0031305
8731
Huntsman
Polyurethanes
W
Deptford
Minor
NJ0033588
8731
Hydrocarbon
Technologies
Inc
Lawrenceville
Minor
NJ0032913
8731
International
Steel
Group
Inc
Independence
Minor
OH0000949
8731
Knolls
Atomic
Power
Lab
Schenectady
216
Minor
NY0005851
8731
Knolls
Atomic
Power
Lab
Kessel
West
Milton
13
Minor
NY0005843
8731
Northrop
Grumman
Systems
Corp
Linthicum
0.18
Minor
MD0000850
8731
Pepco
Hallowing
Point
Prince
Frederick
Minor
MD0057452
8731
Pulaski
Technical
College
Bauxite
0.04
Minor
AR0048003
8731
Quaker
Oats
Company
Barrington
­
Minor
IL0001473
8731
Sarnoff
Corp
Princeton
17
Minor
NJ0000272
8731
Shell
Devel­
houston
Houston
­
Minor
TX0052761
8731
Texaco
at
Beacon
Glenham
21
Minor
NY0005754
8731
U
of
A
Rice
Research
&
Extensi
Stuttgart
0.05
Minor
AR0044415
8731
UMBC
Technology
Center
Baltimore
­
Minor
MD0057991
8731
University
of
Nebr
Ard
Center
Ithaca
Minor
NE0112291
SIC
Facility
Name
City
TWPE
Major/
Minor
NPDES
1Water
and
Wastewater
Products,
2003.
Safety
and
pollution
prevention
strategies
for
wastewater
laboratories,
Stevens
Publishing
Corporation,
Dallas,
Texas.

2Anastas,
P.
T.;
Warner,
J.
C.
Green
Chemistry:
Theory
and
Practice,
Oxford
University
Press:
New
York,
1998,
Cited
at:
www.
chemistry.
org/
portal/
a/
c/
s/
1/
acsdisplay.
html?
DOC=
greenchemistryinstitute\
gc_
principles.
html.

Page
8
of
9
8731
UOP
LLC­
Desplaines
Des
Plaines
Minor
IL0048119
8731
USDA
East­
Side_
WWTP
Beltsville
0.69
Minor
MD0020842
8731
USDA
West­
Side
WWTP
Beltsville
­
Minor
MD0020851
8731
USEPA
Gulf
Breeze
Research
Lab
Pensacola
Beach
Minor
FL0044377
8734
Envirosystems
Incorporated
Hampton
0.30
Major
NH0022055
8734
Fluor
Daniel
Hanford
Inc
Richland
4.95
Major
WA0025917
8734
Gm­
proving
Grounds­
Milford
Milford
1.67
Major
MI0001911
8734
Aquatic
Research
Organisms
Inc
Hampton
0.61
Minor
NH0022985
8734
Bechtel
Plant
Machinery
Inc.
Mishawaka
Minor
IN0000493
8734
Bp
Naperville
Complex
Naperville
Minor
IL0045241
8734
Campbell
Soup
Co
Camden
Minor
NJ0005053
8734
Chrys­
chelsea
Proving
Grounds
Chelsea
2.30
Minor
MI0046540
8734
Ford
Michigan
Proving
Ground
Romeo
Minor
MI0003425
On­
Site
Wastewater
Treatment/
Pretreatment
According
to
data
in
TRIReleases2000,
about
50%
of
independent
and
standalone
laboratories
discharge
their
wastewater
indirectly.
Common
techniques
at
reducing
or
eliminating
pollutant
discharges
from
laboratory
wastewaters
include
the
following:
1,2

Substitute
chemicals
with
less
toxic
alternatives.


Use
the
minimum
amount
of
chemical
required.


Label
all
chemical
containers
properly.


Store
glassware
and
breakable
containers
on
textured
rubber
mats.


Order
chemicals
in
plastic­
coated
bottles.


Transport
solvent
bottles
in
protective
holders.


Keep
doors
of
chemical
storage
cabinet
latched.


Equip
chemical
storage
shelves
with
barriers
one­
fifth
the
height
of
the
tallest
container.


Keep
all
counter­
top
chemicals
in
a
tray
or
within
bermed
areas.
Page
9
of
9

Never
store
chemical
bottles
and
containers
in
sinks.


Surround
sinks
and
counter
tops
with
a
protective
lip.


Plug
all
floor
drains.


Protect
safety
shower
drain
from
chemical
spills
with
temporary
plugs
or
sumps.


Maintain
adequate
and
readily
available
supply
of
spill
cleanup
materials.


Check
chemical
disposal
guidelines
and
POTW
acceptance
criteria
prior
to
discharging
to
a
drain.


Keep
work
areas
clean
and
well
organized
to
help
prevent
accidents.


Use
drip
pans
and
splash
guards
where
spills
frequently
occur.

Table
1­
15
lists
comments
on
the
proposed
2004
Biennial
Plan,
regarding
stand­
alone
laboratories.
Table
1­
15:
Summary
of
2004
Biennial
Plan
Comments
Commenter
Summary
of
Comment
The
Metropolitan
Council
Environmental
Services
(
MCES)
Inspected
several
independent
and
stand­
alone
labs
based
on
the
following
pollutant
concerns:

­
Wastewater
discharges
from
labs
may
be
highly
acidic
or
basic,
and
may
be
flammable;
and
­
Depending
on
the
lab's
operations,
wastewater
may
contain
mercury
or
other
heavy
metals,
which
could
increase
loadings
at
POTWs.

MCES
determined
that
none
of
the
facilities
inspected
warranted
a
permit
because:

­
The
facilities
make
a
conscious
effort
to
minimize
the
volume
and
strength
of
discharges
to
POTWs;
­
Heavy
metal
concentrations
in
lab
wastewater
were
low
enough
to
ensure
compliance
with
MCES
Local
Limits;
­
Infectious
waste
and
blood
waste
are
sent
offsite
for
incineration;
­
Facilities
follow
federal,
state,
and
local
regulations
for
disposing
of
hazardous
wastes;
­
Pollutant
loading
contributions
to
POTWs
from
labs
were
relatively
insignificant
compared
to
other
industries.

National
Resource
Defense
Council
EPA
should
develop
an
effluent
limitation
guideline
(
ELG)
for
stand­
alone
laboratories.

References
US
EPA.
2000.
Environmental
Management
Guide
for
Small
Laboratories,
233­
B­
00­
001.
