Nautical Term: NPDES
Definition of NPDES
The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, commonly referred to as NPDES, is a regulatory program enforced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The NPDES program sets wastewater quality standards for industries that discharge pollutants into waters of the United States. For instance, a factory that produces textiles and discharges wastewater containing dyestuffs and heavy metals, would be required to obtain an NPDES permit and comply with the discharge limits set by the EPA to protect the water quality.
Explore other nautical terms:
