EPA regualtions Paint Coatings and Paint Stripping

Things creep up on you. You know its coming but its complicated of a long way off so you decide to just think about it later then its time. Well its time. The National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants is now in effect the part that effects us as painters is subpart HHHHHH or NESHAP.

http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/area/paint_stripb.pdf

Some background

The rules have been in development since 2002 they cover a large number of industries including cement manufacturing, the oil and gasoline industry, municipal and medical incinerators, asbestos production, the glass and ceramics industry, the list goes on . The final rules went into effect January 9 2009. The compliance date is January 10 2010 .

What do the rules cover

• The rules cover au tomotive paint spraying
  
• the use of paint stripping using methylene chloride
• the use of paints containing the heavy metals lead, chrome, mercury, manganese, nickel or cadmium at reportable levels

Who does this affect

If you paint cars buses, trucks, trailers, motorcycles, boats, tractors, engines car parts you can figure it applies to you for a complete list see http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/area/fr09ja08.pdf

There is a significant exception if you are a hobbyist or a restorer or are repairing your own car you can paint up to 2 cars a year

What it takes to be compliant

You must use hvlp guns or the equivalent kind of guns and protective clothing. You must have compliant spray booths with filter technology with a 98% capture efficiency. Spray gun cleaning must be contained so that solvents are captured. All painters must be certified within the past 5 years. One of the main targets of these rules is to minimize the use of strippers containing MeCl your annual usage should not exceed 181 gallons and you must keep records of your use of stripper.

The final part is you must register with your area EPA office. Please do not take this as a definitive document on the subject DO YOUR OWN RESERCH but here is a warning get compliant and do it before they come knocking on your door. When you register they will come and check you out. If you have better information than I do please post it in the comments and I will correct this as new information becomes available to me

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