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Organization: South Coast Air Quality Management District
Date: March 6, 2009
AQMD Adopts Rule That Will Substantially Reduce VOC Emissions from Paint Thinners and Consumer Products
Agency is First in the Nation to Adopt a Rule That Reduces Smog-Forming Ingredients in Consumer Paint Thinners
Governing Board Members from the South Coast Air Quality
Management District took a critical step today in adopting a rule that will
significantly reduce smog-forming emissions from paint thinners and solvents
used by consumers.
Consumer products, which include everything from nail polish to
floor wax, emit more than 110 tons per day of smog-forming volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) in the Southland. Consumer products are the largest
source of VOCs in the region, eclipsing cars, trucks or industry.
"This rule, a first in the nation, is going to significantly benefit all of
us who live and breathe in the greater Los Angeles Basin," said AQMD
Governing Board Chairman William A. Burke, Ed.D. "In less than two years, the
rule will have reduced VOC pollution by up to 9.75 tons per day. That is the
equal to shutting down all seven major oil refineries in Los Angeles County!"
Consumers should not notice any difference in the performance of
low-VOC paint thinners and solvents.
Rule 1143 — Reduction of VOC Emissions from Consumer Paint
Thinners and Multi-Purpose Solvents establishes an interim VOC limit of 300
grams/liter (g/l,) effective January 1, 2010, and a VOC limit of 25 g/l effective
January 1, 2011, for all consumer paint thinners and multi-purpose solvents.
It also establishes labeling requirements.
Products manufactured prior to the effective date of Jan. 1, 2010 could
be sold for one year thereafter. This rule affects approximately 107
manufacturers and 12 distributors.
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) generally has primary
regulatory authority over consumer products but air pollution districts may
regulate consumer products that CARB has not yet regulated such as those
affected by today's rule. The rule adoption is expected to assist CARB in
adopting tougher regulations for additional categories of consumer products.
In other action today, the AQMD Board:
-Adopted Rule 1144 — Vanishing Oils and Rust Inhibitors. The rule
establishes VOC limits for vanishing oils and rust inhibitors used at industrial
facilities, effective January 1, 2010. The rule prohibits the sale of non-
compliant fluids and includes exemptions for specific uses of vanishing oils and
rust inhibitors.
The rule applies to VOC emissions from steel tube and spring
manufacturers, steel mills, aerospace manufacturers and automobile part
manufacturers. It establishes a VOC limit of 50 (g/l) for vanishing oils and a
VOC limit of 300 g/l for rust inhibitors effective January 1, 2010, with a
further reduction to 50 g/l effective January 1, 2012. This rule will result in an
estimated 2.7 tons per day of VOC emission reductions.
AQMD is the air pollution control agency for Orange County and major
portions of Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties.
