If your coffee roasting operation roasts less than 1 million pounds of green coffee beans annually, you may not need an Air Permit from the Air Quality and Climate Division (AQCD). However, there are still requirements for emission controls such as catalytic or thermal oxidizers to minimize odors and visible emissions.
The reason why AQCD regulates coffee roasting operations is that the process of roasting coffee beans releases air pollutants like particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, and fuel combustion byproducts. Additionally, it emits toxic compounds such as acrolein, acetaldehyde, and formaldehyde. Uncontrolled coffee roasting produces significant odors and visible emissions or smoke, which can harm air quality.
Therefore, AQCD requires all production-scale coffee roasting operations to have emission controls like catalytic or thermal oxidizers. Coffee roasting operations may also generate particulate dust from the handling of green and roasted coffee beans that may also require emissions controls.
Regardless of your coffee roasting operation's size, all production roasters should follow the emission control requirements for AQCD. The only exception is for very small sample roasting operations with a capacity of less than 5 pounds per batch. If you are roasting coffee, it is best to contact AQCD to determine whether you need an Air Permit for your operation.
If you need an Air Permit, you must submit a Permit to Construct application to AQCD. It is essential to include appropriate keywords such as Green Bean Roaster, Coffee Roasting Operations, Air Permit, Emission Controls, Catalytic or Thermal Oxidizer, Particulate Matter, Volatile Organic Compounds, Fuel Combustion Byproducts, Acrolein, Acetaldehyde, Formaldehyde, Odors, Visible Emissions, Particulate Dust, AQCD, and Sample Roasting Operations in your application.