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Industrial Effluent Guidelines

Effluent Guidelines are national standards for industrial wastewater discharges to surface waters and publicly owned treatment works (municipal sewage treatment plants). The EPA issues Effluent Guidelines for categories of existing sources and new sources under Title III of the Clean Water Act. The standards are technology-based (i.e. they are based on the performance of treatment and control technologies); they are not based on risk or impacts upon receiving waters.

On this page:

  • Rulemakings
  • Industry Studies
  • Existing Regulations
  • Other Publications

Rulemakings

  • Landfills
  • Meat and Poultry Products
  • Metal Finishing
  • Organic Chemicals, Plastics and Synthetic Fibers (OCPSF)

Industry Studies

  • Oil and Gas Extraction
  • Study of PFAS Influent to POTWs
  • Electrical and Electronic Components
  • Nutrient Removal and Secondary Technologies
  • Textile Mills

Existing Regulations

The table below lists the Effluent Guidelines promulgated by the EPA, organized by industry category.
  • For some of the regulations, the links in the 'Category Overview' column provide a summary of the regulation and available EPA publications for the category.
  • The links under '40 CFR' go directly to the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). 'Initial' indicates the year of the first rulemaking for the category, and 'Last' indicates the most recent substantive revision.
Category Overview 40 CFR Initial Last
Airport Deicing
    449Exit EPA’s website 2012 2012
Aluminum Forming     467Exit EPA’s website 1983 1988
Asbestos Manufacturing     427Exit EPA’s website 1974 1975
Battery Manufacturing     461Exit EPA’s website 1984 1986
Canned and Preserved Fruits and Vegetable Processing     407Exit EPA’s website 1974 1976
Canned and Preserved Seafood (Seafood Processing)     408Exit EPA’s website 1974 1975
Carbon Black Manufacturing     458Exit EPA’s website 1976 1978
Cement Manufacturing     411Exit EPA’s website 1974 1974
Centralized Waste Treatment     437Exit EPA’s website 2000 2003
Coal Mining     434Exit EPA’s website 1975 2002
Coil Coating     465Exit EPA’s website 1982 1983
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO)     412Exit EPA’s website 1974 2008
Concentrated Aquatic Animal Production (Aquaculture)     451Exit EPA’s website 2004 2004
Construction and Development     450Exit EPA’s website 2009 2014
Copper Forming     468Exit EPA’s website 1983 1986
Dairy Products Processing     405Exit EPA’s website 1974 1974
Dental Office     441Exit EPA’s website 2017 2017
Electrical and Electronic Components¹     469Exit EPA’s website 1983 1983
Electroplating     413Exit EPA’s website 1974 1983
Explosives Manufacturing     457Exit EPA’s website 1976 1976
Ferroalloy Manufacturing     424Exit EPA’s website 1974 1974
Fertilizer Manufacturing     418Exit EPA’s website 1974 1975
Glass Manufacturing     426Exit EPA’s website 1974 1975
Grain Mills     406Exit EPA’s website 1974 1974
Gum and Wood Chemicals Manufacturing     454Exit EPA’s website 1976 1976
Hospitals     460Exit EPA’s website 1976 1976
Ink Formulating     447Exit EPA’s website 1975 1975
Inorganic Chemicals Manufacturing     415Exit EPA’s website 1982 1982
Iron and Steel Manufacturing     420Exit EPA’s website 1974 2005
Landfills¹     445Exit EPA’s website 2000 2000
Leather Tanning and Finishing     425Exit EPA’s website 1982 1996
Meat and Poultry Products2     432Exit EPA’s website 1974 2004
Metal Finishing2     433Exit EPA’s website 1983 1986
Metal Molding and Casting (Foundries)     464Exit EPA’s website 1985 1985
Metal Products and Machinery     438Exit EPA’s website 2003 2003
Mineral Mining and Processing     436Exit EPA’s website 1975 1979
Nonferrous Metals Forming and Metal Powders     471Exit EPA’s website 1985 1989
Nonferrous Metals Manufacturing     421Exit EPA’s website 1976 1990
Oil and Gas Extraction     435Exit EPA’s website 1975 2016
Ore Mining and Dressing (Hard Rock Mining)     440Exit EPA’s website 1975 1988
Organic Chemicals, Plastics & Synthetic Fibers (OCPSF)2     414Exit EPA’s website 1987 1993
Paint Formulating     446Exit EPA’s website 1975 1975
Paving and Roofing Materials (Tars and Asphalt)     443Exit EPA’s website 1975 1975
Pesticide Chemicals     455Exit EPA’s website 1978 1996
Petroleum Refining     419Exit EPA’s website 1974 1982
Pharmaceutical Manufacturing     439Exit EPA’s website 1976 2003
Phosphate Manufacturing     422Exit EPA’s website 1974 1974
Photographic Processing     459Exit EPA’s website 1976 1976
Plastics Molding and Forming     463Exit EPA’s website 1984 1984
Porcelain Enameling     466Exit EPA’s website 1982 1985
Pulp, Paper and Paperboard     430Exit EPA’s website 1974 2002
Rubber Manufacturing     428Exit EPA’s website 1974 1974
Soap and Detergent Manufacturing     417Exit EPA’s website 1974 1975
Steam Electric Power Generating     423Exit EPA’s website 1974 2024
Sugar Processing     409Exit EPA’s website 1974 1984
Textile Mills¹     410Exit EPA’s website 1974 1982
Timber Products Processing     429Exit EPA’s website 1974 1981
Transportation Equipment Cleaning     442Exit EPA’s website 2000 2000
Waste Combustors     444Exit EPA’s website 2000 2000
1: Industry study
2: Rulemaking

Other Publications Related to Effluent Guidelines

  • Multi-Industry Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Study (2021)
  • Oil and Gas Extraction Wastewater Management - Onshore Facilities (2020)
  • Chlorine and Chlorinated Hydrocarbon Manufacturing (2012)
  • Carbon Disulfide Discharges from Cellulose Products Manufacturers (2011)
  • Drinking Water Treatment Residuals Management (2011)
  • Unused Pharmaceutical Disposal at Health Care Facilities (2009)
  • Tobacco Products Processing (2006)
  • Industrial Container and Drum Cleaning (2002)
  • Industrial Laundries (2000)
  • Urban Stormwater Best Management Practices (1999)

Effluent Guidelines

  • Effluent Guidelines Home
  • Industry Regulations & Studies
  • Learn about Effluent Guidelines
  • Effluent Guidelines Plan
  • Implementation & Compliance
  • Effluent Guidelines Database
  • Industrial Wastewater Treatment Technology Database
Contact Us About Effluent Guidelines
Contact Us About Effluent Guidelines
Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
Last updated on August 16, 2024
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