(a) For the Dallas/Fort Worth, El Paso, and Houston/Galveston areas as defined in §115.10 of this title (relating to Definitions), the owner or operator of any dry cleaning facility which uses petroleum-based solvents shall not operate the facility unless the following requirements are satisfied.
  (1) Dryers. The owner or operator of a dry cleaning facility shall either:
    (A) install, maintain, and operate a solvent-recovery dryer that recovers at least 85% by weight of the used petroleum solvent;
    (B) install, maintain, and operate a petroleum dry-to-dry dryer that recovers at least 85% by weight of the used petroleum solvent; or
    (C) route the exhaust air stream from the standard dryer to any other properly functioning control device which reduces the total emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC) to the atmosphere by at least 85% by weight.
  (2) Filtration systems. The owner or operator of a petroleum solvent filtration system shall either:
    (A) install, maintain, and operate a cartridge filtration system according to the manufacturer's recommendations. The owner or operator shall drain all filter cartridges in their closed housings for at least eight hours before their removal; or
    (B) maintain and operate a regenerative filter or any other filtration medium according to the manufacturers' recommendations. The owner or operator shall drain the filter medium in its closed housing for at least eight hours before its removal. Upon removal, the owner or operator shall directly place the filter medium in disposable vapor tight containers or bags and shall keep these containers or bags vapor tight at all times until they are properly landfilled.
  (3) Fugitive emissions. The owner or operator shall ensure that:
    (A) there are no visual, audible, or smellable leaks from any portion of the dry cleaning equipment. Visual inspection of all equipment and system components shall be conducted at least weekly;
    (B) all washer and dryer traps, access doors, and other parts of the equipment where solvent may be exposed to the atmosphere are kept closed at all times except when required for proper operation or maintenance;
    (C) all solvent-contaminated waste materials are stored in closed containers prior to proper disposal;
    (D) repair of any visual, audible, or olfactory leak in any portion of the equipment shall be completed within three working days from the time the leak is detected. If necessary repair parts are not on hand, the owner or operator shall order the necessary parts within three working days and shall repair the leak no later than three working days after the parts arrive.
(b) Any petroleum solvent dry cleaning facility that becomes or is currently subject to the control requirements of subsection (a) of this section by exceeding the exemption limit of §115.157 of this title (relating to Exemptions) shall remain subject to the provisions of this section, even if its consumption of petroleum solvent later falls below the exemption level, unless and until its uncontrolled solvent consumption is reduced to no more than its solvent consumption level before lifting controls; and:
  (1) the project by which solvent consumption was reduced is authorized by any permit or permit amendment or standard permit or permit by rule required by Chapter 116 or Chapter 106 of this title (relating to Control of Air Pollution by Permits for New Construction or Modification; and Permits by Rule). If a permit by rule is available for the project, compliance with this subsection shall be maintained for 30 days after the filing of documentation of compliance with that permit by rule; or
  (2) if authorization by permit, permit amendment, standard permit, or permit by rule is not required for the project, the owner/operator has given the executive director 30 days' notice of the project in writing.

Source Note: The provisions of this §115.552 adopted to be effective May 27, 1994, 19 TexReg 3703; amended to be effective May 22, 1997, 22 TexReg 4213; amended to be effective May 16, 2002, 27 TexReg 4113