NC0005177_MEETING NOTES_19901217

NPDES DOCUWENT SCANNINO COVER :iMEET
NPDES Permit: NC0005177
FMC Lithium
Document Type: Permit Issuance
Wasteload Allocation
Authorization to Construct (AtC)
Permit Modification
Speculative Limits
`Meeting Notes
Instream Assessment (67B)
Environmental Assessment (EA)
Permit
History
Document Date: December 17, 1990
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BIOASSAY COMPLIANCE
AGENDA SUMMARY.
1 .0 BIOASSAY (EFFLUENT) TOXICITY
OF POND DISCHARGE
2.0 -"CAUSES OF TOXICITY& TEST RESULTS
3.0 PLANT & LOWER POND DISCHARGE
4.0 PLANT PROJECT WORK AND DEVELOPMENT
-5.0 EVALUATION OF CURRENT STRATEGY
6.0 PROPOSED PLAN
7.0 SUMMARY . .
8.0 " PERMIT ISSUES
FMC LITHIUM DIVISION
12/17/90

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EFFLUENT COMPOSITION
31 MAY 89 13 FEB 90
EFFLUENT EFFLUENT
Li 61 38
Na 388 269
K 42 35
Ca 69 95
Si 4 5
Mg 11 20
SO4 750 606
Cl 448 200
000935dpm

TABLE I
SOURCES OF TOXICITY (ppm)
BEISINGER AND CHRISTENSEN,
1972, DAPHNIA MAGNA
Chronic Accute
31 May 89 16% Reproduction
Lower Pond Suppression [LC50]
Al < 0.1 0.32 [3.9]
B 0.3 - -
Ba < 0.1 5.8 [14.51
Ca 69 116 [52]
Co < 0.1 0.01 [1.11]
Cr < 0.1 0.33 -
Cu < 0.1 0.022 [0.0098]
Fe < 0.1 4.38 -
K 42 53 [93)
Li 61 -
Mg 11 82 [1401
Mn < 0.1 4.1 [9.8]
Mo < 0. 1 -
Na 388 680 - [1640]
Ni < 0. 1 0.03 [0. 51]
P < 0.1 - _
Pb < 0.1 0.03 -
SO4 750 - -
Si 4 - 0
Sr 0.1 42 [125]
V < 0.1 - -
Zn < 0.1 0.07 [0.10]
Zr < 0.1
Ti < 0.1
Sb < 0.1
Be < 0. 1
C1 � 448
CIO 3
CIO 54
Total Oxidizing Capacity
as OCl 3

1
DECREASED
Li REPRODUCTION
ppm '
6 \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
3 \\\\ NORMAL \\\
\\\\ REPRODUCTION
1.000 2000
TDS , ppm

WHOLE EFF;:l.", ..i TOXICITY TESTING O[SELF•MONITORING SUMMARY] Thu,Nov 15,1990 n
FAC_•TI_TI' MAY JUN _- ]{r•. AUG NOV DEC
LITHIUM CORP PERMIT CHRONIC LIMIT;99%. '86
NPDESN:NCDW5169 Begin;l(Was R-A-cy:Q P/F '87
County:GASTON Rcgim:`SRO Monthv.FEB MAY AUG NOV _ - - .- - - - - •-• FAIL LATE
PF:(4.50) - SOC/JOCReq: '89 - FAIL - - PASS - - PASS - - FAIL -
.7Q10:0.00 [WC(%):100.00 90 - FAIL - - - - bt bt - PASS •-• /
LITHRJM CORP ;PERMIT CHR M MONIT 83%,Q LLMLT 3/91:83% -
NTDESN;NC0005177 Begin;111189 Frequmcr:M.Q - '87 - - _ ^_ _ 77 __ _- In -63- bt NR 20.71 47.21
County:GASTON Rcgim:MRO Mmtlu:JAN APR AM OCT i '88 54.91 38.26• 28.3a FAQ, FAIL H FAIL FAQ. FAIL FAIL LATE
PF:AIS SOCJOC Req: - - '99 PAIL LATE FAIL , PAIL. _ FAQ. LATE FAILIn FAIL FAIL _c FAIL FAIL FAIL,
7Q10:0.20 IWC(%):82.65 90 PAIL FAQ. FAIL PAR. FAIL NR _ NR _ PAEL FAQ. PAIL
LITTLE HUFT/ELLIOTS PARTS PERMIT CHRONIC LIMI T:99% '86 '
NPDFS0:NCO071871 Begin:5119/88 Peegenney:Q PIP '87
County:GRANVRJ-E R,-ion:RRO Menths:JAN APR JUL OCT '88 - - - - N - FAQ. - - FAIL - -
PF:0.0015 SOCJOC Rcq: '89 NR PASS - •?NR -- PASS FAIL - ••• FAIL - -
7Q10:0.00 lWC ):100.00 90 FAQ, bt bt FAQ. FAIL PASS PASS - •-
LITTLEHUFF•INCJMORRISTO'• ;GROCERY PERMIT CHRONIC L lMrT:9996(GRAB) '86
N7'DFSN:Nt71075426 Begin 3/1190 FSegoency.Q P/F a '87
County-.PER.S ON R- -:PRO Months:JAN APR JUL OCT '88
PP:0.014 SOCJOC Rcq: .99 - •^ -•- ^ -- N - - PASS - --
7Q10:0.0 IWC ):100.0 90 PASS - NR PASS bt PASS -• FAIL
LOUISBURGWWTP LETTER ACUTE TRGT:SIGN`W MORT REDUCTION 'B6
NT'DFSN:NOD020231 Begin:2A 2189 Ftegdacr.M, '97 '
Couwy:FRAN)IJN R, on:RRO Mmths: '88 -
PF:0.80 SOCIJOC Rcq; '89 - 84.6 '77,0 NR 253,P15 'NONl3 NONE NR bi 71.3 NONE NONE
7Q10:14.0 LWC ):8,1 90 81.7 69.2•• 30.9• 36.4• ••NR NR NR LATE NONE*
LOVE OIL COMP. PERMIT CHRONIC L1MIT:40%
NPDFSN:NCO070491 Begat 1Z%r Pmquency.Q P/F '97 •-- -• -- - -- ^- - - - - -
County;ROCKINGHAM R, on:WSRO Months:JAN APR J`UL OCT '88 - -- -- - CbV>.3 - - -- »- - - -
PF:.0173 SDCAOC Rcq: '89 ChV>0.3% - - NONE - - FAIL - - PASS - -
7Q10:0.04 IWO ):40.13 90 FAIL PASS - -PASS - - FAIL, bt PASS
LA WELT•W WTP LETTER ACLIL'E TARGLTT:74% 16
NPDFS4:NC002586I Begin,1011/99 Ftequatey.Q '87
County:GASTON R, rm:MRO Months: '88 -
PF:0.60 SOC)OC Req: '89 -• - - - - - - - - NR FALL FAIL
7Q10:I24.0 WC, ):0.74 90 NR 28 >90 >90 >90 - - NONE -
LUFK IN OFF LINE 86
N`PDESN:N00003212 Begin 0gNJ(y00 Praquemey.D '87 -
County:WAKE Rc gym:RRO Months: '88
PF:0.150 SOC/JOC Req: '89
7Q10:0.00 IWO ):100.00 90 -
LUMBERTON W WTP PERMIT CHRONIC LIMI TA 1% '86
NPDFSN;N00024571 Begin:7/1/87 PMT- Y Q PIP '87 -•- •- -•• - - - (bt) PASS - (-) - PASS
County;ROBESON Rr m:FRO Mmtbs:AUG NOV FEB MAY' '98 (FAIL,) - bi (PASS) - - (-} LATE FAIL - PASS -
PF:10.00 SOC110C Rcq:_ '89 - PASS -- - PASS - - PASS - - FAIL PASS
7Q10:129.0 IWCt �:10,70 90 - PASS - - PASS - - PASS -
MACCLESFIELDWWTP - LETTER CHR9MCTARGEI'.•99% '86
NPDESr•:NC0 %61 Begin:8/29190 liogocncy.M '87
Cossnry:EDGECOMBE Re en:RRO ' Mmths: '88
PF:0.175 SOCJOC Rdq: '84
7QIOeDA IWC(' ):100.0 90 - - PASS
0 2 c�:ive f48utes=rignific a nmcarnptiancm V 1985 data sysil ble
LEGEND:
PF=Pcmtined flow(MGD)•7QID=R,L eiving suearn low flow aiterim(CIS).IWC96.bmt a n..s[a cmaccoadan,BegieeFirst month required,Fiagweney-(Monitoring fiequrn[y):IQ-Quarterly:M•Mmthly:BM•Runatahly;SA•Semiatmuslly:A-Atmnafly;
OWD-Orly when discharging:D•Di- mtinwd monitoring requirement:IS-Cmduaatg indepermknt amdy],P/F=Pam/Pat7 elvanic b"smy.Ac.Amm,Chr.Chronic,eryuartcrty monitoring bncrraaes to Monthly upon single[dime.
If)au Notstim]:If=Fathead Mir o '{criodaptmia sp.,rny.Mysid shrimp,ChV-Chronic valve,P•Me tal ity trf stated pereereage at highest emce>mstiart,abn%faemed by DEM Aq Tax Gns p,bt.l3ad tend,
I Jtepnrting Naatir,il:(•••=Diu eax:•yufired,NH:Nat negated,()=Begi uti ng of Qtutterl,(Fadity Activity Sumsl:{I.bueeive,N.Newty lssoad(T000mwa),H-Acdw but not discharging]
28

10/17/88-letter from City re. Sept. chronic bioassay results(fail). Actions taken: reviewed plant operation
were using extra Cl to meet coliform limits. Reviewed lab data-concerned about high DO's,
running follow-up analyses last two weeks of Oct. Prior to test-sent off effluent for priority
pollutants, completed metals analysis for Sept-no reason for concern there. Waiting for follow-up
results before proceeding further.
5/2/88-letter from City (Earl Weisner,Supt) to George Everett submitting 6 month tox evaluation rport as
requested in 11/87 Administrative letter requiring tox monitoring. They feel they've made adequate
preparations to deal w/efflu toxicity and noted that 5 consecutive monthly tests have resulted in
LC50 "none". To deal w/efflu tox, they report: holding effluent chlor resid to 0.2 µg/l or less,
retained services of treatabihty consultant to review their tox reduc efforts and to give guidance,
reviewed previous pretreatment 'prelim' anal ysis,conducted AA analysis for efflu metals and found
to be below water qual criteria conc's,scanned efflu for T TM formation and found negligable
conc's,reviewed effluent and in-plant monitoring data for any evidence of upsets,personnel have
attended workshops/talks on efflu tox,have discussed acute and chronic test procedures w/private
and municipal labs doing those tests. Also included was flow diagram of City's responses to efflu
toxicity. At date of this 5/2/88 letter,Lexington -Regional has draft permit out which includes a
chronic p/f toxicity req w/Q freq.
LIBERTY VAV P(NC0025992)WSRO,letter chronic limit:99% 6/1/87 M. 30C:6/88-6/89 no tox req, land
app.
12/18/87-letter from Tedder to T. of Liberty re. high Cl levels and possible assoc. w/ toxic effects.
11/18/87-letter from Tedder to T. of Liberty re. high Cl levels and possible assoc. w/ toxic effects.
LIGGETT & MYrERS(NC0003247)RRO, 001,005. letter acute target: signif mort reduc, M 8/1/88.
1./27/88-Acute tox screens conducted for facility's cooling water outfalls 001 and 005. Resulted in LC50
C- values 37% and 7.1%. Recent to these results this office had considered acceptable L & M's
proposed change in biocide usage. Considering that in a sense the facility's biocide usage was
corrected, Ken requested the tox group to rescreen this facility in about a month to see if change in
biocide has reduced toxicity.
LINVTLLE LAND HARBOR(NC0022576)ARO,letter acute target:no acute M 11/1/87. SOC: 12/87-1/90
no tox req.
6/23/88-letter from ARO to facil reporting pre and post-chlor tox test results (LC50s 16.2% and 8.4%).
Noted pre-chlorine detected <0.01 mg/l and post chlor at 0.6 mg/I. Recommended they contract tox
consultant to develop tox reduction plan.
4/20/88-letter from ARO (Pete Nathanson) to Linville Land re. their submittal of 3/88 test results. Lab had
recorded no LC50 mortality observed but Pete's letter was pointing out that there was observed
mortality but they were less than 50%. His point was that some toxicity still existed and that steps
should be taken to investigate causes. His ideas for potential sources included: RV dump station w/
disinfection chemicals; flushing of antifreeze additives from plumbing of vacant homes; heavy
metals in waste-water;biolog distribution of sysfem organisms; and residual effects from
chlorination of drinking water. Advised that hiring of consultant may become necessary.
LITHTUM(NC0005169)MR0,permit chronic limit:99%.Q P/F.10/l/88.
1/19/89-AT-1 form from LITHCO indicates only one sample was collected(11/88) and used for entire
bioassay, because of facility's method of discharge(lagoon discharge).
LITHTUM(NC0005177)RRO,2/4/88 permit chronic monthly monit, Q limit:83% 3/99, letter acute target:
no acute M 9/l/87
t\
1/89-permit modific effect-chr monthly p/f 83% monit only til 3/91 then chr Q p/f limit at 83%.
36

1/24/89-memo from L. Gabele to Mouberry allowing facility to perform grab samples for ail tox testing
requirements, including chronic. They requested this in a letter dated 1/16/89 because their
discharge occurs from a large lake that serves as a compositing unit.
8/l/88-Arhtur Gillespie of Lithco spoke w/S. Tedder to agree to WQ compromise of 3/1/91 compliance
date. His attorricy will call Legal Affairs to drop ajudication.
7/28/88-memo from S. Tedder to Yvonne Bailey (AG office) passing along Lithco's ajudicatory request
and saying that WQ would agree to modify tax compliance date from 3/89 to 3/l/91. Permittee
would monitor monthly til 3/91 when freq would reduce to quarterly. Noted that this proposal had
been informally concurred w/by Mr. Gillespie of Lithco.
7/l/88-Lithco filed w/Adnunis Hearings for ajudicatory hearing on tax req. in permit. They felt they could
not meet scheduled compliance date in permit of 3/99 due to limitations in draining'l MGD trtmnt
pond.
5/5/88-letter from S. Tedder to facil telling them that we rcvd their 3/88 results for acute test but that their
permit requires chronic tox monit on a Q freq. Asked that if in the future they do addtl' acute
testing, those results should also be submitted.
4/88- Final report of on-site tox examination performed at Lithium 9/21-9/26/87. Intensive survey
indicated benthic macroinvert communities downstream of facil discharge were seriously impacted.
Based on tox test results, and TWC of 82%O, efflu was predicted to be present at cone well above
level demonstated as acutely toxic to Ceriodaphnia and (fthd). At periods of avg rcving stream flow
(IWC 35%), efflu still predicted to cause acute toxicity in aquatic organisms w/similar or greater
sensitivity than Cerio. Efflu contained signif quantities of lithium and chloride so that LiCI may
have contributed to toxic responses recorded in Cerio and fthd minnow. Tot resid chlor
measurements indicate a likely contrib to tax in all on-site bioassays conducted. Efflu sample for
characterization tests however did not contain high tot resid chlorine. Characteriz tests did not
_ identify organic constsituents as prob. Recomm Lithium coat chr p/f test at 83% as req by permit,
reduce levels of lithium,chloride,and resid chlorine, and a lithium C monitoring requirement be
permit" included in pert upon re-issuance.
3/7/88-S. Tedder`s memo to A. Mouberry re. Lithium's request for permit modifications. To facility's 5
comments, Tech Services confirmed the following: grab samples from 100 MG pond may be
considered representative and permissible; Final efflu sampling point UT Abernathy Creek is R
waters of the State not efflu channel and specifics of discharge point will remain unchanged;
upstream/downstream monit for Cu can be dropped but monthly efflu monitoring must remain;
efflu monit for Be can be dropped; quarterly efflu monit for tot P and tot Nit must remain; whole
effluent tox req must remain unchanged. For tox, the permit requires monthly monit only'til 3/89
at which time chronic limit at 83% begins w/Q freq. It is not agreed to defer 83% efflu limitation
until permit expir. and facility's initiation of tox reduc efforts were commended.
2/4/88-submittal by Lithium of 6-month report required per original adminis letter. Report summary:
Summer 1987-Lithium performers tox tests on 17 in-plant samples and found 3 wastestrearns more
toxic than pond effluent which had LC50 7.5%. 3 wastestreams- hypochlorite scrubber LC50 <5
%(34% of plant flow to pond), LiCI condensate LC54<5% Q4% of plant flow t6 pond), metal.
washout LC50<5 9o(7% of plant flow to pond). Chem'ari&lysis showed high
chloride,sulfate,lithium,sodium, and available chlorine. Report said chlorine is not considered as
contributing significantly to toxicity however available chlorine levels of>1000 ppi should nor
discount it. ie. Could even the dechlor process add to toxicity of reduced chlorine?Facility did not
cite tox data for lithium although this data is scarce. Citation not given for silver LC50 value which
seems too high for cladocerans. Also no analysis for Ag in wastewater. Regarding quality of test
results, Lithco stated several reasons why their contracted lab results differed with state
results(prep of sampling container, lab tech, "weak' fleas) but does not state which of contracted
labs had these problems. They state that some tox data was unacceptable and they have discont .
contract w/ that lab but which lab?? so can correlate w/reported data. Also uses term "N C certified
lab" which is incorrect for tox analysis at this time. Lithco assumes long time by change in process
37

to reduce toxicity in pond effluent. Projects underway incl modific on hypachlorite circuit using
baghouses to reduce solids that would otherwise go to pond, and evaluating a design to recycle
wash water from metal circuit to reduce salt disch to pond.Recnt permit issue has monitoring then
phase-in of final tox efflu limit.
2/1/88-Lithium (teleph) responded to 1/20/88 letter saying they were aware of high chlorine levels and
were looking at the various chemical forms of the residual. they suspect that it is predominately the
chlorate form which ILey 1hink is more toxic.
1/20/88-letter from S. Tedder to Lithium pnting out high chlorine reading in Nov 87 test sample (I.Img/1)
as potential contribution to toxic effect - LC50 of 20.71%.
Sept 87-Prelim on-site tox testing results: 48 hr Cerio (influ)LC50=.32%;48 hr Cerio(efflu)
LC50=21%;96 hr fthd flow-thru LC50=70%;168 hr Cerio chronic LC50=11%;NOEC=1.0%;
LOEC=10%;ChV=3.2%. IWC=82.7% PF=.615 MGD IWC at avg stream flow 1.7 cfs =
35.9%. This facility has been sent the draft EPA fractionation procedures and have a chemist (Dan
McDonald) working on the tox issue. They are interviewing labs to perform a subset of the
fractionation procedures. Wastewater trtrnnt process is a lagoon to treat organic and inorg cmpds in
process wastewater from them plant(plus domestic).Resid chlorine measured in lagoon efflu
ranged .05-.09 mg/l. High conduct. indicates Irg amts dissolved solids(efflu had high chloride).
Efflu predicted to cause acute toxicity instream during avg stream flows to organisms w/similar
sensitivity as C. dubia. Referenced benthic survey of 6/10/87-efflu found to cause severe water
qual probs-in area.
LOVE OII. CO.(NC007049I)WSRO,permit chronic limit:40%.Q P/F.12/3/87.
,> 1/17/89-piemo from modeler(J. Mangles) to Moubetry rec. chronic toxicity be changed from composite to
grab sample. Facility explained thattrted. g dwtr would remain constant due to homogeneous
natt'--e of raw groundwater anduniforrn level of treatment applied.
LUMBERTON WW TP(NC0024571)FRO,permit chronic limit:I I% Q P/i= 7/1/87
9/6/88-letter from City to Ken E. explaining delay w/8/88 test results. Had probs with two labs in
appropriate delivery of samples. Retest expected 9/12-9/16.
12/29/87-letter from FRO to City indicating late submittal of Nov '87 self-monitoring tox data. Test data or
reason for unavailabilty requested by 1/11/88.
_MAR_IC) N WTP-CIinchfield(NC0027413)ARO,Ietter chronic target:61%. Q P/F. 4/1/88,letter chronic
target:67% m P/F 6/1/87
6/14/89-effec date of SOC for inability to comply w/BOD,TSS. Tox req in Attachment B as a chronic Q
', monitoring only pass/fail target of 61%. SOC expiration 7/1/91.
5/12/88-City's submittal of Mar and Apr 88 test results (pass,fail) also noted that they are working w/IU
Galey &Lord to establish compl schedule for parameters which may be contributing to the City's
permit noncompliance. Plans "in the works" for IU to eliminate toxic discharges and adjust organic `
loading. Report to be submitted after City meets w/comp. mngmnt.
8/25/87-Notice of noncompli issued from ARO for not submitting .Tune and July 87 test results. Requested
reports or explan. by 9/7/87.
'MARSHALL WWTP(NC0021733)ARO, permit acute limit:no acute(fthd). Q P/F, 8/l/88.
1/27/89-letter to Mayor A: Wad re: failure to submit bioassay results. Facility failed to submit data-foi-
11/88. States that Town should respond in writing by 2/10/89 as to why bioassay results have not
been submitted.
' M-B INDUSTRIES(NC000031 i)ARO,letter acute target:>29% M 3/13/87
8/87 self-monit results rcvd-LC50<5.6% .
to 38
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