Dec. 2, 2005
The Southland’s air quality agency today adopted stricter standards to
significantly reduce smog-forming emissions from coatings used in nearly
1,800 auto body shops in the region.
“Technology advancements in recent years will help transition this
industry away from conventional solvent-based products to the less-polluting
materials currently available for automotive refinishing,” said Barry
Wallerstein, executive officer of the South Coast Air Quality Management
District.
“The Southland will see a significant reduction in smog-forming
hydrocarbons from this measure.”
Today’s action represents a major shift in the chemical composition of
automotive coatings and a move away from conventional solvent-based products
to more environmentally friendly waterborne coatings.
Amendments to Rule 1151 – Motor Vehicle and Mobile Equipment Non-Assembly
Line Coating Operations – will lower the limits of smog-forming volatile
organic compounds (VOCs) previously established in 1998. The new limits are
consistent with the California Air Resources Board’s recently adopted
statewide Suggested Control Measure for Automotive Coatings adopted in
October. AQMD’s new measure takes effect starting in July 2008.
The new limits will reduce VOC emissions by 3.7 tons per day by 2010 and
affect the nearly 1,800 small- to medium-size automotive refinishing
facilities and coating manufacturers in the Southland.
In other action today, the Board:
- Approved $50,000 in funding to demonstrate air pollution control
equipment to reduce emissions from idling locomotives. The project will
be conducted at the J.R. Davis railyard in Roseville and follows a
California Air Resources Board health risk assessment showing high levels
of diesel particulate matter and increased cancer risk in neighborhoods
near the facility. The project is sponsored by the Placer County Air
Pollution Control District and includes the AQMD, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, Sacramento Municipal Air Quality Management District
and Advanced Cleanup Technologies, Inc. as co-sponsors. AQMD will fund
the emissions testing portion of the project;
- Approved funding to sponsor an ultrafine particle conference to
increase awareness of the sources of ultrafine particulate pollution,
related adverse health impacts and the need to reduce these emissions in
vehicle exhaust as well as the ambient air. The conference is planned for
spring 2006; and
- Set public hearings for Feb. 3 to adopt Rule 3501 – Recordkeeping for
Locomotive Idling – to require recordkeeping for idling freight
locomotives to help identify the amount of pollution coming from them; and
Rule 3502 – Minimization of Emissions from Long Duration Idling -- to
establish requirements to limit freight locomotive idling in the region.
AQMD is the air pollution control agency for Orange County and major
portions of Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties.
-#- |
