Microconstituents: What to Expect in Your Permit

Microconstituents are beginning to make their way into newspaper headlines and discharge permits in the United States. Removal of microconstituents often requires tertiary treatment, and utilities are interested to know what permit limits they might expect in the future as they plan for capital improvements. EPA is currently focusing on developing methods for determining the endocrine disrupting impact of a given compound. EPA has developed some criteria for endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs), but the states have been slow to implement these criteria into standards within each state and their inclusion into permits is much slower. Several states are moving forward with standard development for diazinon, PCBs, nonylphenol, atrazine, and tributyltin. However, based on the results of this paper, it does not appear that permit holders will see EDCs in permits in the near future.