1990 Clean Air Act Impacts on Finishing Technology and Operations in the Medium and Heavy Duty Truck & Bus Industry 952662

The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 have brought about wholesale changes in the mandated requirements for the EPA and states to bring clean air to the country. Of particular interest to the light and heavy duty truck and bus industry are the requirements for VOC reductions in Title I, the hazardous pollutant reductions requirements in Title III, and the new permitting scheme required under Title V of the Act. The inter-relationship of lower VOC coatings, hazardous pollutant reduction, and permitting requirements will be presented. Since the Act does not fully mesh these requirements, the pathways that coating suppliers and coating application facilities can use to come into compliance will be explored.

Specific VOC content of conforming coatings will be presented, how they will impact application processes, and how hazardous air pollutant reductions can be achieved is explored. Light and heavy duty truck and bus facilities will need to plan, select, and integrate smoothly these requirements into their new air permit applications to the states and EPA. Permits are starting to be processed at this time by a number of states.