Dec. 5, 2003
Most
Stringent Measure in the Nation
The Southland’s air quality agency today adopted a
measure to significantly reduce emissions from paints and coatings, one of the
largest categories of smog-forming emissions in the region.
“Smog-forming emissions from paints and
architectural coatings in the Southland are equivalent to those from 1.7 million
vehicles,” said Barry Wallerstein, executive officer of the South Coast Air
Quality Management District.
“This rule will further establish AQMD as the
nation’s leader in requiring manufacturers to develop low-polluting paints and
coatings.”
AQMD’s Governing Board today unanimously adopted
an amendment to its Rule 1113, which will reduce smog-forming volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) by 3.7 tons per day from such paint categories as roof
coatings, exterior stains, waterproofing sealers, waterproofing concrete/masonry
sealers and clear wood finishes. That will eliminate more emissions than those
produced by the region’s largest oil refinery.
Today’s action represents the third phase of VOC
emission reductions from architectural coatings called for in AQMD’s 2003 Air
Quality Management plan and a federal consent decree. Currently, the use of
architectural coatings results in 51 tons per day of VOC emissions. The first
and second phases, adopted in 1996 and 1999, collectively will result in about
32 tons a day of VOC emission reductions.
Although paint manufacturers have repeatedly
challenged the rule in court, it is fully in effect today.
Rule 1113 amendments will lower the current VOC
limit for specialty coatings used by homeowners, contractors and maintenance
workers. The rule requires manufacturers to reduce VOC emissions from roof
coatings by January 2005; waterproofing sealers, waterproofing concrete/masonry
sealers and clear wood finishes by July 2006; and exterior stains by July 2007.
The measure also phases out by 2006 a
small-container exemption for clear wood finishes and pigmented lacquers. Since
small containers represent a large portion of clear wood finish sales, the
phase-out of this exemption will accomplish nearly 1 ton of the total VOC
reduction.
The new VOC limits rely on compliant coatings
already available from several manufacturers and in wide use throughout the
region. AQMD’s paint and coatings standards, the strictest in the nation, can
benefit the rest of the country as consumer demand and environmental regulation
move toward less-polluting products.
VOC emissions react in the atmosphere to form
particulate matter (PM10) and react photochemically with oxides of nitrogen (NOx)
to form ozone. Both adversely affect human health.
In other action today, the Board:
- Amended the Regional Clean Air Incentives Market (RECLAIM) program
to restore power plants’ ability to trade emission reduction credits in the
program next year. Power plants will be able to trade among each other starting
Jan. 1, 2004, and trade with all other RECLAIM facilities starting Sept. 1,
2004. The change will take place after a proposed RECLAIM amendment next year
to further reduce emissions from all RECLAIM sources;
- Awarded nearly $3 million in grants to public school districts in
the region to purchase 22 new compressed natural gas (CNG) school buses and
supporting infrastructure; and
- Set a public hearing for Jan. 9 to adopt Rule 1148.1, Oil and Gas
Production Operations, to reduce VOC emissions from those facilities.
AQMD is the air pollution control agency for
Orange County and major portions of Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside
counties.
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