EPA initially promulgated the Meat and Poultry Products (MPP) Effluent Guidelines and Standards in 1974, and amended the regulation in 2004. The regulation (40 CFR Part 432) covers wastewater directly dischargeddirect dischargerA point source that discharges pollutants to waters of the United States, such as streams, lakes, or oceans. by slaughterhouses, further processors, independent renderers and poultry processors. The requirements are incorporated into NPDES permits.

Facilities Covered

Direct Dischargers—Existing and New Sources

• Meat first processors (slaughterhouses) that slaughter more than 50 million pounds per year
• Meat further processors that generate more than 50 million pounds per year of finished products (examples: bacon or sausage)
• Independent renderers of meat and poultry products that use greater than 10 million pounds per year of raw material
• Poultry first processors (slaughterhouses) that slaughter more than 100 million pounds per year
• Poultry further processors that generate more than 7 million pounds per year of finished products (examples: ready-to-cook chicken cutlets or ground turkey)

Direct Dischargers—New Sources

• Poultry first processors that slaughter less than or equal to 100 million pounds per year
• Poultry further processors that generate less than or equal to 7 million pounds per year of finished products

Federal Register Notices

• Final Rule (PDF)(80 pp, 541 K) (September 8, 2004)
• Proposed Rule (PDF)(88 pp, 562 K) (February 25, 2002)

• Technical Development Document for the Final Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for the Meat and Poultry Products Point Source Category (PDF)(1220 pp, 3 MB, 2004, 821-R-04-011)
  Describes industry processes, pollutants generated, available control and treatment technologies, the technical basis for the final rule, and costs of the rule
• Economic and Environmental Benefits Analysis of the Final Meat and Poultry Products Rule (PDF)(256 pp, 1 MB, February 2004, 821-R-04-010)