A. The
gross receipts or gross proceeds derived from the sale of pollution control
machinery and equipment are exempt from the tax if:
1. The machinery and equipment is utilized,
either directly or indirectly, by manufacturing or processing plants or
facilities, or cities or towns in Arkansas to prevent or reduce air or water
pollution or contamination which might otherwise result from the operation of
the plant or facility; and,
2. The
machinery and equipment is required by Arkansas or federal law or regulations
to be installed and utilized to control pollution or contamination as evidenced
by written documentation from the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality
or the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
B. Supplies and chemicals used by pollution
control machinery and equipment are taxable.
C. Replacement and repair parts for pollution
control machinery and equipment are exempt from tax if the machinery or
equipment to be repaired or refurbished was initially exempt under this
rule.
D. CHEMICALS.
1. The gross receipts or gross proceeds
derived from the sale of catalysts, chemicals, reagents or solutions which are
consumed or used by manufacturing or processing plants or facilities, or cities
or towns, in this state to prevent or reduce air or water pollution or
contamination which might otherwise result from the operation of the facility
are exempt from gross receipts tax.
2.
a.
A substance prevents or reduces air or water pollution if it acts
directly on the air or water to remove or alter an impurity in the air or
water.
Example: Chlorine used to kill bacteria in wastewater is exempt.
b. Chemicals, catalysts, reagents
and solutions used to test the quality of the air or water are
exempt.
3. Definitions.
a. "Catalyst" means a substance that
initiates or provokes a chemical reaction allowing such reaction to proceed
under milder conditions, such as lower temperatures or with less resistance to
reaction.
b. "Chemical" means an
element, combination of elements or compound obtained by a chemical
process.
c. "Reagent" means any
substance which by reason of its capacity for taking part in certain reactions
is used for various purposes, including detecting, examining, or measuring
other substances or in preparing materials. A reagent is also a substance used
to convert one substance into another by means of the reaction which it causes.
To be a reagent for purposes of this exemption, a substance must be primarily
used as a reagent.
d. "Solution"
means a chemical in a liquid form which contains a dissolved
substance.
E.
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS.
1. Machinery and
equipment used in a city or county wastewater treatment plant are exempt if the
machinery and equipment is used to remove contaminants from wastewater. The
treatment process begins when solids are first removed from the wastewater and
ends when all solids and other contaminants are removed from
wastewater.
2. The water treatment
process does not include:
a. Collecting
wastewater from locations outside of the treatment plant and delivering
wastewater to the treatment plant; or
b. Disposing of solids or other contaminants
removed from wastewater.
3. The following items are examples of exempt
machinery and equipment provided that the machinery and equipment is used
during the water treatment process as described in GR-66(E)(1) above:
Examples: pipes, pumps, valves, screens, screen baskets, gates,
blowers, fans, skimmers, aerators, diffusers, equalization basins, concrete
flumes, conveyor belts, flow meters, grit separators, grit removal equipment,
back flow preventers, chlorination equipment, digester equipment, vacuators,
and air eductors.
4. The
following items are examples of taxable items: materials used in constructing
improvements to real estate, housing for machinery, handrails, ladders, paint,
lighting equipment, pump stations, lift stations, pipes and equipment utilized
in sewage collection outside of the treatment area, machinery and equipment
which control the flow of wastewater into the treatment facility, sludge
de-watering equipment, machinery and equipment used for measuring, controlling,
or testing the treatment process, sludge pumping equipment, and sludge
application system.