Water: Industry Effluent Guidelines
Science & TechnologyWastewater TechnologyIndustry Effluent GuidelinesTreatment TechnologyTreatment Technology
EPA does not require the use or installation of particular technologies. Rather, the CWA requires operators to meet certain performance standards that are based on the proper operation of pollution prevention and treatment technologies identified by EPA during an effluent guidelines and pretreatment standards rulemaking.
Below are data sources that EPA uses when identifying pollution prevention and treatment technologies. EPA also conducts surveys, site visits, and sampling of industrial facilities to identify pollution prevention and treatment technologies.
- Treatability Database
- Vendor Information Database
- EPA's Environmental Technology Verification (ETV)
- EPA's Environmental Technology Opportunities Portal (ETOP)
- European Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Bureau
- Canadian Wastewater Technology Centre (WTC)
Treatability Database
The NRMRL Treatability Data Base provides a review of the removal and/or destruction of chemicals in various types of media, including water, soil, debris, sludge and sediment. The treatability data summarizes the types of treatment used to treat specific compounds, the type of waste/wastewater treated, the size of the study/plant, and the treatment levels achieved. The data base currently contains over 1200 chemical compounds and almost 16,000 sets of treatability data.
EPA's Vendor Information Database
The Vendor Information is a database of more than 1,200 pollution prevention equipment, products, or services. This website allows you to find listings using a free text method, or by selecting from the various equipment categories.
EPA's Environmental Technology Verification (ETV)
The goal of EPA's Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Program is to further environmental protection by substantially accelerating the acceptance and use of improved, cost-effective technologies. ETV seeks to achieve this goal by providing high-quality, peer-reviewed data on technology performance to those involved in the design, distribution, financing, permitting, purchase, and use of environmental technologies.
EPA's Environmental Technology Opportunities Portal (ETOP)
The Environmental Technology Opportunities Portal (ETOP) links you to programs that help fund development of new environmental technologies and offers information on existing environmental technologies. EPA offers several programs to assist the public and private sectors in developing and commercializing new environmental technologies. This is done through financial, testing and verification support, and by promoting use and acceptance of a technology through collaborative, incentive, partnership and advocacy, and information programs.
European Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Bureau
The European Union under the management of the European Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Bureau (EIPPCB) 
has a set of common rules based on the concept of Best Available Techniques (BAT) for industrial discharges. These rules are incorporated into discharge permits to minimize pollution from industrial dischargers throughout the European Union.
Canadian Wastewater Technology Centre
The Environmental Technology Advancement Directorate's Wastewater Technology Centre (WTC) provides specialized science and technical, research and development support as well as demonstration and validation for Environment Canada (EC). Among other specialties, the WTC develops and assesses novel industrial and municipal wastewater treatment technologies. This work supports EC's efforts in pollution prevention, management of existing toxic substances, identification of new toxic substances and treatment technologies.