17.8.320    WOOD-WASTE BURNERS

(1) It is hereby declared to be the policy of the department to encourage the complete utilization of wood-waste residues and to restrict, wherever reasonably practical, the disposal of wood-waste residues by combustion in wood-waste burners. Recent technological and economic developments have enhanced the degree to which wood-waste residues currently being disposed of in wood-waste burners may be utilized or otherwise disposed of in ways not damaging the environment. While recognizing that complete utilization of wood-waste is not presently possible in all instances, this policy applies to the extent practical and consistent with economic and geographical conditions in Montana.

(2) Construction, reconstruction, or substantial alteration of wood-waste burners is prohibited unless the requirements of subchapter 7 of this chapter have been met.

(3) No person shall cause or authorize to be discharged into the outdoor atmosphere from any wood-waste burner any emissions which exhibit an opacity of 20% or greater averaged over six consecutive minutes. The provisions of this section may be exceeded for not more than 60 minutes in eight consecutive hours for building of fires in wood-waste burners.

(4) A thermocouple and a recording pyrometer or other temperature measurement and recording device approved by the department shall be installed and maintained on each wood-waste burner. The thermocouple shall be installed at a location near the center of the opening for the exit gases, or at another location approved by the department.

(5) Except as provided in (6) , a minimum temperature of 700ºF shall be maintained during normal operation of all wood-waste burners. A normal start-up period of one hour is allowed during which the 700ºF minimum temperature does not apply. The burner shall maintain 700ºF operating temperature until the fuel feed is stopped for the day.

(6) Wood-waste burners in existence on February 10, 1989, do not have to comply with the requirements of (5) if they are located outside of PM nonattainment areas.

(7) The owner or operator of a wood-waste burner must maintain a daily written log of the wood-waste burner's operation to determine optimum patterns of operations for various fuel and atmospheric conditions. The log shall include, but not be limited to, the time of day, draft settings, exit gas temperature, type of fuel, and atmospheric conditions. The log or a copy of it must be submitted to the department within ten days after it is requested.

(8) No person shall use a wood-waste burner for the burning of other than production process wood-waste transported to the burner by continuous flow conveying methods.

(9) Rubber products, asphaltic materials, or other prohibited materials specified in ARM 17.8.604(1) (b) through (d) , (f) through (r) , (t) , (u) , (w) and (y) may not be burned or disposed of in wood-waste burners.

History: 75-2-111, 75-2-203, MCA; IMP, 75-2-203, MCA; Eff. 12/31/72; AMD, 1978 MAR p. 1732, Eff. 12/29/79; AMD, 1989 MAR p. 270, Eff. 2/10/89; AMD, 1993 MAR p. 2530, Eff. 10/29/93; TRANS, from DHES, 1996 MAR p. 2285; AMD, 2000 MAR p. 836, Eff. 3/31/00; AMD, 2004 MAR p. 724, Eff. 4/9/04.