Air emissions
State
Most business using boilers or furnaces to provide process heat for manufacturing will qualify for an 
Air Emission Registration Permit. A business that only has emissions from boilers, internal combustion engines, and VOC sources may qualify for a Registration Option C. If there are multiple air emission activities, the Registration Option D may be the best fit. Use this emissions calculator to see if your boiler is a small source of air emissions or may require air permitting: 
Boiler air emissions calculator (p-sbap5-21).
How to comply with state permits
Federal
You must comply with federal air standards if your business has a boiler that burns coal, oil, or biomass (the standard doesn't apply to gas-fired boilers). Use the EPA's regulation navigation tool and other compliance resources to see if the NESHAP for boilers affects your business.
Air regulation due dates
| Requirement | Due date |
|---|---|
| Emission inventory fee for previous year | Mailed to permit holders in March, due within 60 days |
| Emission inventory | April 1 |
| Corrections to emission inventory | Mailed to permit holders in November, due within 45 days |
Hazardous waste
You need a hazardous waste license if your business produces any amount of hazardous waste. Facilities in Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, or Washington County are licensed and inspected by their county. Facilities in greater Minnesota are licensed and inspected by the MPCA. If you produce only small amounts of hazardous waste, you probably qualify to bring the wastes to Very small quantity generators collection programs (w-hw2-51). See the Hazardous waste documents and forms page for information on managing specific types of hazardous waste, such as oil filters and oil-spill cleanup materials. Oily wastes generally don't require a hazardous waste license, but check with your county to be sure.
If you want to burn used or waste oil, you must follow specific requirements from MPCA’s hazardous waste program.
Hazardous waste due dates
| Requirement | Due date |
|---|---|
| Hazardous waste generators fee | Mailed to license holders in first quarter, due date on invoice |
| License application | Due August 1 for Greater Minnesota businesses; Twin Cities metro businesses, contact your county |
Storage tanks
Report leaks and spills to the Minnesota Duty Officer at 651-649-5451 or 800-422-0798. Most aboveground storage tanks larger than 500 gallons or underground tanks larger than 110 gallons have to be registered with the MPCA. See the storage tank pages for more information.
Beyond compliance
- Develop and implement a plan for routine inspections and maintenance.
- Evaluate and tune your boiler system annually. Tune the burner, clean out the combustion chamber, make sure water treatment is correct, check all fittings and accessories, and reset steam pressure. This can result in 2 to 5 percent energy savings. More guidance on tune-ups for boilers that use coal, oil, or biomass is in the EPA tune-up information guide.
- Insulate steam and condensate return lines.
- If your boiler is used primarily for comfort heat, shut it down in the summer.
- More ideas and assistance from MnTAP.