EPA Publishes Paint and Allied Products Manufacturing Area Source Rulemaking

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published on June 1 a proposed rule that would require paint, ink and adhesive manufacturing facilities to install particulate controls and install process tank covers, as well as other work practices, to control volatile emissions. The Paint and Allied Products Manufacturing Area Source rulemaking would apply to paint, ink and adhesive manufacturing facilities that use cadmium, chromium, lead, nickel, benzene or methylene chloride and are categorized as "area sources" (i.e., emit less than 10 tons per year of a single hazardous air pollutant (HAP), or less than 25 tons per year of a mixture of HAPs).

NPCA/FSCT has asked for a public hearing, which, if granted, would extend the comment period on the proposed rulemaking from July 1 to July 16. EPA is under a court order deadline to finalize the rulemaking by Aug. 15, 2009. The proposal would give facilities two years to comply with the rule, once finalized. NPCA/FSCT's Environmental Management Committee is developing comments on this rule.

Of particular concern is that EPA assumes that most facilities already have particulate controls and already utilize process tank covers. If your facility does not, please contact NPCA/FSCT staff as they try to qualify the economic impact of this rule.

An EPA Fact Sheet on the proposed rule is available at: http://www.epa.gov/ttn/oarpg/t3/fact_sheets/papf_neshap__aress_prop_fs_052209.pdf.

For more information: contact NPCA/FSCT's David Darling, Alison Keane, or John Hopewell.

Date Posted: June 15, 2009