Chapter NR 261
METAL FINISHING
Subchapter I — Direct Discharges
NR 261.11 Compliance dates.
NR 261.12 Discharge standards.
NR 261.13 Monitoring requirements.
Subchapter II — Indirect Discharges
NR 261.21 Compliance dates.
NR 261.22 Discharge standards.
NR 261.23 Monitoring requirements.
NR 261.01
NR 261.01 Purpose. The purpose of this chapter is to establish standards of performance and effluent limitations for discharges of wastewater from the metal finishing point source category into waters of the state. It is also the purpose of this chapter to establish pretreatment standards and effluent limitations for new and existing sources in the metal finishing point source category which discharge wastewater into publicly owned treatment works.
NR 261.01 History
History: Cr.
Register, October, 1986, No. 370, eff. 11-1-86.
NR 261.02(1)(1)
The provisions of this chapter are applicable to dischargers performing any of the operations outlined in s.
NR 260.02 (1) which include: electroplating of common metals, electroplating of precious metals, anodizing, coatings (chromating, phosphating and coloring), chemical etching and milling, electroless plating and printed circuit board manufacturing. When any of the above operations are present the provisions also apply to discharges from the following process operations:
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See PDF for table 
NR 261.02(2)
(2) The provisions of this chapter are not applicable to the following:
NR 261.02(2)(a)
(a) Operations similar to metal finishing which are specifically regulated by other categorical standards.
NR 261.02 Note
Note: These other applicable standards include aluminum forming, battery manufacturing, coil coating, copper forming, electrical and electronic components, iron and steel manufacturing, metal molding and casting (foundries), nonferrous metals forming, nonferrous metals manufacturing, plastic molding and forming, porcelain enameling.
NR 261.02(2)(b)
(b) Existing indirect discharging electroplating job shops and independent printed circuit board manufacturers, which are regulated under ch.
NR 260.
NR 261.02(2)(c)
(c) Metallic platemaking and gravure cylinder preparation conducted for use in the printing and publishing facilities.
NR 261.02 History
History: Cr.
Register, October, 1986, No. 370, eff. 11-1-86.
NR 261.03
NR 261.03 Definitions. The following definitions are applicable to terms used in this chapter. Definitions of other terms and meanings of abbreviations are set forth in chs.
NR 205,
211, and
260, and the EPA Development Document for Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for the Metal Finishing Point Source Category (EPA 440/1-83/091, June 1983).
NR 261.03 Note
Note: Copies of this document are available for inspection at the office of the department of natural resources, 101 S. Webster, Madison; the secretary of state's office, and the office of the legislative reference bureau, and may be obtained for personal use from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20460.
NR 261.03(1)
(1) “Cyanide, A” means cyanide amenable to alkaline chlorination as determined by ch.
NR 219.
NR 261.03(2)
(2) “Independent printed circuit board manufacturer” means a facility which manufactures printed circuit boards principally for sale to other companies.
NR 261.03(3)
(3) “Job shop” means a facility which owns not more than 50% (annual area basis) of the materials undergoing metal finishing.
NR 261.03(4)
(4) “New source” for indirect dischargers means any building, structure, facility or installation from which there is or may be a discharge of pollutants, the construction of which commenced after August 31, 1982; and for direct dischargers means any point source, the construction of which commenced after August 29, 1983.
NR 261.03(5)
(5) “NSPS” means new source performance standards.
NR 261.03(6)
(6) “PSES” means pretreatment standards for existing sources.
NR 261.03(7)
(7) “PSNS” means pretreatment standards for new sources.
NR 261.03(8)
(8) “TTO” means total toxic organics, which is the sum of all quantifiable values greater than 0.01 milligrams per liter (10 micrograms per liter) of the toxic organics listed in s.
NR 215.03 (1) to
(5).
NR 261.03 History
History: Cr.
Register, October, 1986, No. 370, eff. 11-1-86;
correction in (8) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register February 2021 No. 782. NR 261.10
NR 261.10 Applicability. The provisions of this subchapter are applicable to discharges of wastewater from the metal finishing point source category directly into waters of the state.
NR 261.10 History
History: Cr.
Register, October, 1986, No. 370, eff. 11-1-86.
NR 261.11
NR 261.11 Compliance dates. Discharge of pollutants from facilities subject to the provisions of this subchapter may not exceed, as appropriate:
NR 261.11(1)
(1) By July 1, 1977 effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best practicable control technology currently available (BPT);
NR 261.11(2)
(2) By July 1, 1984 effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT);
NR 261.11(3)
(3) At the commencement of discharge for new source performance standards (NSPS).
NR 261.11 History
History: Cr.
Register, October, 1986, No. 370, eff. 11-1-86.
NR 261.12(1)(a)
(a) Except as provided in par.
(b) and subch.
IV of ch. NR 220, any existing point source subject to this subchapter shall, no later than July 1, 1977, achieve the following effluent limitations attainable by applying the best practicable control technology currently available:
NR 261.12 Note
1 All metals and cyanide shall be determined in “total” form.
NR 261.12(1)(b)
(b) For facilities with cyanide treatment, and upon approval of the department, an amenable cyanide limit (Cyanide, A) of 0.86 milligrams per liter (1 day max.) and 0.32 milligrams per liter (monthly avg.) may apply in place of the total cyanide limit specified in Table 1.
NR 261.12(1)(c)
(c) No discharger subject to the provisions of this subsection may augment the use of process wastewater or otherwise dilute the wastewater as a partial or total substitute for adequate treatment to achieve compliance with this standard.
NR 261.12(2)(a)
(a) Except as provided in par.
(b) and subch.
IV of ch. NR 220, any existing point source subject to this subchapter shall, no later than July 1, 1984, achieve the following effluent limitations attainable by applying the best available technology economically achievable:
NR 261.12 Note
1All metals and cyanide shall be determined in “total” form.
NR 261.12(2)(b)
(b) For facilities with cyanide treatment, and upon approval of the department, an amenable cyanide limit (Cyanide, A) of 0.86 milligrams per liter (1 day max.) and 0.32 milligrams per liter (monthly avg.) may apply in place of the total cyanide limit specified in Table 2.
NR 261.12(2)(c)
(c) No discharger subject to the provisions of this subsection may augment the use of process wastewater or otherwise dilute the wastewater as a partial or total substitute for adequate treatment to achieve compliance with this standard.
NR 261.12(3)(a)
(a) Except as provided in par.
(b) and subch.
IV of ch. NR 220, any new source subject to this subchapter shall, at the commencement of discharge, achieve the following performance standards:
NR 261.12 Note
1All metals and cyanide shall be determined in “total” form.
NR 261.12(3)(b)
(b) For facilities with cyanide treatment, and upon approval of the department, an amenable cyanide limit (Cyanide, A) of 0.86 milligrams per liter (1 day max.) and 0.32 milligrams per liter (monthly avg.) may apply in place of the total cyanide limit specified in Table 3.
NR 261.12(3)(c)
(c) No discharger subject to the provisions of this subsection may augment the use of process wastewater or otherwise dilute the wastewater as a partial or total substitute for adequate treatment to achieve compliance with this standard.
NR 261.12 History
History: Cr.
Register, October, 1986, No. 370, eff. 11-1-86; correction in (1) (a), (2) (a), (3) (a) made under s.
13.92 (4) (b) 7, Stats.,
Register April 2018 No. 748.
NR 261.13(1)(a)
(a) In place of monitoring for TTO, the department may allow dischargers to make the following certification statement:
“Based on my inquiry of the person or persons directly responsible for managing compliance with the permit limitation for total toxic organics (TTO), I certify that to the best of my knowledge and belief, no dumping of concentrated toxic organics into the wastewaters has occurred since filing of the last discharge monitoring report. I further certify that this facility is implementing the toxic organic management plan submitted to the Department of Natural Resources.”
NR 261.13(1)(b)
(b) In requesting the certification alternative, a discharger shall submit a toxic organic management plan. The plan shall specify to the satisfaction of the department, the toxic organic compounds used; the method of disposal used instead of dumping, such as reclamation, contract hauling, or incineration; and procedures for ensuring that toxic organics do not routinely spill or leak into the wastewater. The department shall incorporate the plan as a provision of the permit.
NR 261.13(1)(c)
(c) If monitoring is necessary to measure compliance with the TTO standard, the industrial discharger need analyze only for those pollutants reasonably expected to be present or those pollutants specified in the discharge permit.
NR 261.13(2)
(2)
Cyanide. Self-monitoring for cyanide shall be conducted after cyanide treatment but before dilution with other wastestreams. Alternatively, samples may be taken of the final effluent if the facility limitations are adjusted based on the dilution ratio of the cyanide wastestream flow to the effluent flow.
NR 261.13 History
History: Cr.
Register, October, 1986, No. 370, eff. 11-1-86.
NR 261.20
NR 261.20 Applicability. The provisions of this subchapter are applicable to discharges of wastewater from the metal finishing processes as listed in s.
NR 261.02 (1) into publicly owned treatment works.
NR 261.20 History
History: Cr.
Register, October, 1986, No. 370, eff. 11-1-86.
NR 261.21
NR 261.21 Compliance dates. Discharge of pollutants from facilities subject to the provisions of this subchapter may not exceed as appropriate:
NR 261.21(1)
(1) By February 15, 1986 for pretreatment standards for existing sources (PSES);
NR 261.21(2)
(2) At the commencement of discharge for pretreatment standards for new sources (PSNS).
NR 261.21 History
History: Cr.
Register, October, 1986, No. 370, eff. 11-1-86.
NR 261.22(1)(1)
Pretreatment standards for existing sources (pses). NR 261.22(1)(a)
(a) Except as provided in par.
(b), any existing source subject to this subchapter shall comply with ch.
NR 211 and achieve, by February 15, 1986, the following pretreatment standards for existing sources:
NR 261.22 Note
1All metals and cyanide shall be determined in “total” form.
NR 261.22 Note
2Metal finishing facilities which are covered by ch.
NR 254 shall comply with the 4.57 mg/l TTO limitation by July 10, 1985.
NR 261.22(1)(b)
(b) For facilities with cyanide treatment, and upon approval of the control authority, an amenable cyanide limit (Cyanide, A) of 0.86 milligrams per liter (1 day max.) and 0.32 milligrams per liter (monthly avg.) may apply in place of the total cyanide limit specified in Table 4.
