Surface Finishing

A surface finishing operation may be eligible for the General permits if the facility conducts any of the following:

  • Coating preparation/mixing; 
  • Coating application and cleanup of coating application equipment; 
  • Adhesive application;
  • Abrasive blasting;
  • Welding operations;
  • Stationary combustion sources; 
  • Miscellaneous activities such as cutting, grinding, etc. associated with the coating operations; and
  • Sources exempt under S.C. Regulation 61-62.1, Section II(B). 

Criteria

General State Operating Permit

  • Facility is a true minor source.
  • Meets the process/material usage limits in the Tables below or provides emission estimates that demonstrate the potential to emit (PTE) is less than major source thresholds.

Usage Limits for Coatings, Solvents, Blasting Media, and Welding Electrode

Process Maximum Potential Usage Limit Per Year
Coatings, Solvents, Adhesives, Washers, excluding Powder Coating 14,000 gallons if facility does not use any Hazardous Air Pollutant (HAP) containing products
or
1,500 gallons if facility uses product that contains a HAP
Powder Coating 1 million pounds if facility conducts powder and non-powder coating operations
or
4.9 million pounds if facility conducts coating operations with powder only

Abrasive Blasting Media		 3.3 million pounds of media, if blasting without enclosure or wet suppression
or
22.7 million pounds of media, if blasting with enclosure or wet suppression
Welding Electrode 86,000 pounds

Limits for Stationary Internal and External Combustion Sources

Process Limits
Stationary Internal Combustion Engine
  • Fired on low sulfur fuel (0.05 wt.% sulfur / 500 ppm), natural gas, or propane 
  • Each source operates less than 500 hours per year
  • Maximum power output for each source is <200 brake horsepower (bhp)
  • Total combined maximum power out for all sources is <800 bhp
Stationary External Combustion Source
  • Fired on low sulfur fuel (0.05 wt.% sulfur / 500 ppm), natural gas, or propane
  • Maximum heat input capacity for each source is <10 million BTU/hr
  • Maximum total combined heat input capacity for all sources is ≤60 million BTU/hr

General Conditional Major Operating Permit

  • Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) is limited to less than 100 tons per year (TPY);
  • Particulate Matter (PM) is limited to less than 250 TPY;
  • PM less than 10 micrometers in diameter (PM10), and PM less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter (PM2.5) are each limited to less than 100 TPY;
  • Single hazardous air pollutant (HAP) is limited to less than 10 TPY; and
  • Combined HAPs are limited to less than 25 TPY.

How Do I Apply for the General Permit?

To request coverage under the General State Operating Permit or the General Conditional Major Operating Permit, select one of the following options:

Option 1: If your facility has already been issued an operating permit, download, complete, and submit the State Operating and Conditional Major Permit Renewal Application with the General Operating Permit box selected as follows:

  • If the potential uncontrolled emissions are below the major source thresholds select General State Operating.
  • If the potential uncontrolled emissions are above the major source thresholds select General Conditional Major.

Option 2: If your facility has completed construction and has not been issued an operating permit, download, complete, and submit the Operating Permit Request to request your initial operating permit.

Application/Forms