The Ozone Transportation Committee (OTC) held its annual meeting last week to discuss upcoming initiatives for 2008-2009. During the meeting, OTC members referenced the new CARB Suggested Control Measure (SCM) for Automotive Coatings and made plans to consider the rule and its possible implementation in the OTC member states.
The OTC is a multistate organization created under the Clean Air Act. It’s responsible for advising the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on transport issues and developing and implementing regional solutions to the ground-level ozone problem in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic regions.
New volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were approved in California in 2006. The regulations for the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) in the Los Angeles area will go into effect July 1, 2008. Additional regulations will be phased in over the following two years. Such requirements in California mandate that almost all shops use waterborne paints and necessitate equipment upgrades to handle the finishes. Additionally, the increased air movement and slower flash time of waterborne increases the need for a clean painting environment. Under the policy, shops also need additional spray guns, one set for solvents and another for waterborne paints.
