Concrete Plants

The Bureau of Air Quality (BAQ) develops and issues general permits for similar sources.

Advantages to General Permits

A standardized permit providing consistency
Simplified application and permit issuance
General permits are issued without an additional individual public notice and comment period
Flexibility to construct or modify equipment without a construction permit
Pre-determined equipment and emission limit for specific Permit categories

Existing permitted sources may request coverage under a general permit if the permit criteria are met. BAQ grants the general permit to facilities certifying qualification for and agreeing to the conditions and terms of the general permit.

Below is a description of each of the general permits, a link to the list of the current facilities that have been granted coverage of each general permit, a copy of each general permit, and the associated criteria, forms, and other information for each general permit.

Concrete batch plants, concrete block production, and pugmills may be eligible for a general permit if they only operate concrete batching/mixing and the only sources of emissions, besides exempt equipment, are:

boilers or other fuel combustion devices less than or equal to 30 x 10⁶ BTU per hour;
storage of sand and aggregate;
sand and aggregate transfer to elevated bin;
cement and/or flyash unloading to elevated storage silo, weigh hopper loading, central mixer loading, and/or truck loading; and
loading, transfer or storage associated with emission control systems.

List of concrete plants currently covered by a General Permit

Criteria:

General State OP

Potential uncontrolled emissions must be less than 250 tons per year (TPY) of PM and less than 100 TPY of PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 as determined using the manufacturer's rated plant capacity.

Generally:
Truck Mix = 182 yd³/hr
Central Mix = 307 yd³/hr
Pugmill = 321 yd³/hr

General Conditional Major

Potential uncontrolled emissions greater than 250 TPY of PM or greater than 100 TPY of PM₁₀ AND controlled emissions must be less than 250 TPY of PM and less than 100 TPY of PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 as determined using the manufacturer's rated plant capacity.

Generally:
Truck Mix = 182 yd³/hr
Central Mix = 307 yd³/hr
Pugmill = 321 yd³/hr

Applications/Forms:

Concrete and/or Block Plants Application

Note that air dispersion modeling may be required depending on the location of the plant. This is determined on a case-by-case basis depending on the size of the plant and the proximity and density of residences and other population centers. Contact BAQ if you would like a preliminary decision for a specific location.

Reporting/Emission Tools:

Concrete Batching Emission Estimator

Concrete Admixture Storage Tanks Memorandum

Copies of the Permits:

General State Operating Permit for Concrete Plants

General Conditional Major Operating Permit for Concrete Plants

**Note that these copies are provided for use by facilities that have already been granted coverage by the Bureau. Download and use of these permits does not constitute coverage.**

For more information please contact:

Alyson Hayes (803) 898-3836

If the operations covered by these general permits involve land-disturbing activities in one of the eight coastal counties of the Coastal Zone under DHEC-OCRM's jurisdiction (Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Georgetown, Horry and Jasper), then a coastal zone consistency certification may be required prior to conducting land-disturbing activities.

For more information please contact the Bureau of Air Quality at (803) 898-4123 or by email.