The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hold its 2008 Environmental Summit in Washington, D.C., later this month, and the EPA’s Environmental Assistance Network (EAN) will sponsor a special session May 21 to discuss environmental assistance opportunities and needs. The session will focus on the retail sector and paints and coating area sources.
The U.S. EPA Web site currently contains a wide range of compliance, sustainability and pollution prevention materials available for the retail sector of the industry. However, the EAN plans to discuss how this information may be consolidated through the development of an agency-wide retail sector Web portal. This idea and others aimed at making materials more accessible will be discussed.
The EPA released the paint stripping miscellaneous surface coating regulation Jan. 1, 2008. Approximately 60,000 auto body repair shops must comply with this regulation by 2011. The EPA has developed training and outreach programs to assist with compliance.
The Automotive Service Association also developed a Paint Regulation Compliance Summary. This outline is available to ASA members in the “Members Only” section of the ASA Web site, www.asashop.org. To download the entire refinishing regulation, click HERE. To view excerpts from the U.S. EPA Web site containing compliance, sustainability and pollution prevention materials, click HERE.