Slowly Moving the Refinish Industry Off Solvents

You can see it as you drive towards a big city on a warm summer day--a brownish haze that hangs over the landscape. The name for the haze is photochemical smog. And it's not just unsightly--it's harmful. While automobile exhaust is a chief donor to smog, the formation of this air pollution has also been linked to the chemical composition of the paint sprayed in your body shop.

In general, regulations promulgated by the Clean Air Act and federal statutes with regard to fuels and vehicle design have led to improvements in air quality and lowered vehicle emissions. But a look at our national fleet shows corporate average fuel efficiency (CAFE) is not being reduced to the extent once thought possible. While emissions are lower on a per-vehicle basis, we have a growing number of petroleum-fed contributors to the air quality problems. For example, how many Lincoln Navigators do you see in the local shopping malls? How many 225 hp cars are chewing up the boulevards? Good economic times have led to record car sales and vehicle use in the U.S. So, even as we reduce emissions on a per-vehicle basis, air quality continues to deteriorate based on an overall increase in the number of cars and trucks on the road.

VOC reductions are just a part of the solution. And the refinish industry is only a small part of the gross emissions of VOCs in the atmosphere. For example, there is biogenic VOC, which is a byproduct of rotting manure and other naturally occurring biological matter. Dairy, hog and poultry producers emit methane gas--VOC. Dry cleaners, machinery repairers, printing and a myriad of manufacturing and industrial processes all rely on the use of materials containing VOCs.

Photochemical smog--"ground-level ozone"--is formed by the reaction of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) in the presence of sunlight and warm temperatures. A stagnant air mass--the result of high atmospheric pressure and light winds--keeps the pollution from being dispersed. The ideal conditions for ozone buildup occur from late spring to early fall in most U.S. cities, because it takes time for the sun-driven chemical reaction to transform the NOx and VOCs emitted from industrial and private sources into ground-level ozone. Although VOCs, NOx and ozone occur naturally in the lower atmosphere, human activities--namely fossil fuel use--have greatly increased the amounts.

While we're causing too much ozone in the troposphere, we're also triggering ozone destruction in the upper reaches of our atmosphere--the stratosphere. Ozone depletion in the stratosphere is allowing more of the sun's potentially damaging ultraviolet radiation to reach the earth's surface. It is the belief of the scientific community that this is caused by the discharge of ozone-destroying chemicals such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and halons. And we are all familiar with the regulations pertaining to air conditioning service and refrigerants.

Unfortunately, there is no way to transfer the excess ground-level ozone in the troposphere to the stratosphere to offset the depletion of the ozone layer. What we have to do is get at the root of the problem - human beings and their activities. Experts tell us that if we want to correct the problem, we have to clean up our own act.

VOCs and Paint

The refinish manufacturers and applicators of automotive paint have felt the impact of the regulations in our body shops. New formulations--and in some instances, new application equipment--are required to satisfy the regulators in some states' efforts to reduce VOC emissions. When the paint recipes went from a mid-solids formulation (MS) to high-solids (HS) and ultra-high solids (USS), the ratio of solids (what actually remains on the car), to the sprayable mixture increased. The solids and resin of the paint "ride" on a "vehicle"--solvent. Solvents are a blend of VOCs. They are known as "organic" because they are derivatives of hydrocarbon-based fossil fuels, and they're considered volatile because they burn quickly. Essentially, VOCs are what we smell in and around a body shop. But how effective are we in regulating their release? And at what cost?

Dr. Kenneth W. Chilton is the director of the Center for the Study of American Business at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo. Chilton has tried to bring the environmental initiatives into perspective in terms of the net benefits to society, and the net costs to industry. In many cases, he notes, these measures are not cost effective.

Chilton wrote: "Economists and business leaders who express concern about the high costs of pursuing America's environmental goals are often viewed as green-eyeshade types who do not care about the environment. Environmentalists, in turn, are accused by their critics as being elitists who do not care about economic growth and rising standards of living for U.S. citizens. While there may be a grain of truth in both sets of criticisms, fundamentally we need public policies that satisfy both camps--policies that protect the environment and the economy.

"Interestingly, both environmentalists and their critics failed to acknowledge the significant progress that has been made on the environmental front over the past 25 years. Every major air pollutant has decreased (with the exception of nitrogen oxides). Airborne lead is down 98 percent, particulates 78 percent, sulfur oxides 30 percent, VOCs 24 percent, and carbon monoxide 24 percent.

"Major bodies of water once considered dead now support fish populations. Current waste disposal and treatment methods are far advanced from earlier practices. Emergency clean up has significantly reduced the risk from hazardous waste dumps. And more extensive clean-up is moving forward, albeit slowly because of the perverse disincentives in the current superfund law."

States' Actions

The Clean Air Act of 1990 gives each state primary responsibility for assuring air quality within the geographic area comprising that state. By submitting an implementation plan, states specify the manner in which national ambient air quality standards will be achieved and maintained within each air quality control region. Transfer of material containing VOCs is regulated as well. From the design of the nozzles on gas pumps to the ways in which chemicals are transferred from container to container, there are rules and regulations.

The following is an example of the regulations implemented in the state of Texas to attain federal air quality standards. The application of the law is both general and specific to the body shop business. These rules are in effect only in problem cities in which air quality is an issue. Under Chapter 115 of the regulations on Solvent Using Processes for Coating of Surfaces in the Beaumont/Port Arthur, Dallas/Fort Worth, El Paso, and Houston/Galveston areas, shops are subject to the following requirements:

(1) The owner or operator of each vehicle refinishing (body shop) operation shall minimize volatile organic compound emissions during equipment cleanup by utilizing the following procedures:

(A) install and operate a system which totally encloses sprayguns, cups, nozzles, bowls and other parts during washing, rinsing and draining procedures. Non-enclosed cleaners may be used if the vapor pressure of the cleaning solvent is less than 100 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) at 68šF and the solvent is directed towards a drain that leads directly to an enclosed remote reservoir;

(B) keep all wash solvents in an enclosed reservoir that is covered at all times, except when being refilled with fresh solvents; and

(C) keep all waste solvents and other cleaning materials in closed containers.

(2) Each vehicle refinishing (body shop) operation shall use coating application equipment with a transfer efficiency of at least 65%, unless otherwise specified in an alternate means of control approved by the Executive Director in accordance with §115.910 of this title (relating to Availability of Alternate Means of Control). High-volume, low-pressure (HVLP) sprayguns, as defined in §115.10 of this title (relating to Definitions), are assumed to comply with the 65% transfer efficiency requirement."

The automotive refinish industry is only one of the industries in which emissions are measured and assessed for their contribution to overall VOC release. To a much greater extent, however, the paint manufacturers are the ones affected. We spoke with DuPont Automotive Refinishes, in an attempt to bring the low-VOC paint into focus as it pertains to day-to-day body shop operations.

ABP: What is on the horizon regarding regulations affecting refinishers?

DuPont: On the national front ... it looks like the [National Rule] will be published by the EPA by July of this year, to be effective in four months, around November. The VOC limit will be similar to what we [now] have in Massachusetts. The limits for primer will be 4.8 lbs. per gallon. Primer sealers will be limited to 4.6 lbs. per gallon. Basecoat/clearcoat systems are limited to 5.0 lbs. per gal. Single stage will be 5.0. Specialty coatings, such as adhesion promoters, additives, and low gloss formulas are 7.0 lbs. per gal.

Some key things about the National Rule are that it's not a rule that directly regulates the refinisher--it regulates the manufacturers. The rule states that after the effective date [November '98], we cannot manufacture a coating for use in the U.S. if it does not meet the rule.

Cleaning solvents are not regulated. And there are no requirements for the usage of HVLP spray equipment. Most states require the use of enclosed cleaners, but it's not in the National Rule. It applies to manufacturing, not application. Records will be kept by the manufacturer with regard to what is made. The rule does not require reporting by the paint companies except about how we keep track of dating.

What about lacquer? Has production been shifted to the Third World?

Lacquer can be manufactured for export. And any foreign company can manufacture non-compliant coatings. But lacquer use is declining in the U.S. We are expecting that lacquer topcoats will be exempted [from the National Rule] because of the demand from hobbyists involved in restoration of cars made using this paint. However, we still have not seen the final rule. The drafts were published [according to what] hobbyists demanded.

What is the outcome of all this?

Millions of hours of research going into the release of VOCs. How does this affect our air quality? [We now know] there is a direct relation of VOCs to air quality. Other industries, such as dry cleaners, use a lower level of VOC solvents. Furniture, printing, bakery and agriculture industries use photochemically reactive solvents. The output from body shops is a relatively small number. We figure we have 1 percent of the total in stationary sources. Abatement equipment like afterburners is also being installed.

What is the VOC content of the epoxy formulations?

We are looking closely at epoxy coatings. But at present epoxy is nearly the same thing [with regard to VOC] as the urethane. We have waterborne epoxies that are very effective but have inherent problems with regard to topcoats.

Will there be any development of alternative resins?

The [National Rule] regulations don't require an extremely low VOC level, such as that of a waterborne coating. If there was a mandate to eliminate solvent borne topcoat, I'm sure there would be a system that the shops could use. However, in order to use the stuff, they have to have the equipment, but the regulations don't require its use. At the present time, there is no waterborne clearcoat that can replace the solvent borne products.

Will there be a phase-out of solvents?

Nobody knows. For the foreseeable future, which we estimate to be around five years, the National Rule won't change. The EPA came out with new and lower limits on the permissible limit on ozone and particulate limits. The air quality limits are tighter. The way the system works is, the EPA puts out the limits with a timetable, during which the states have to come up with plans for how they intend to meet the limits.

What's happening with SoKleer, the UV-reactive coating?

The UV-cured finishes are in fairly wide use in some industries, such as furniture manufacturing. The issue with UV in refinish is the source and how an applicator thoroughly cures the nooks and crannies in a car's body [which are] hidden from the UV source. We have to work out some problems before it becomes viable. Powder coating technology has been in use for 25 years and is used widely. In fact, we are selling a powder coat primer. You never know how the technology will develop.

What about waterborne topcoat technology? Are we headed in that direction?

We don't expect waterborne to go mainstream. We are operating under a variance in 1151 (South Coast Air Quality Management District), which is a temporary reprieve from the regulations. It rolled back the 3.5 topcoat limit. The basecoat color and the clear are calculated together as the topcoat. The variance will run out by the end of the year. We don't see waterborne as a big factor in the refinish industry. Bear in mind that local areas can be more restrictive than the National Rule. Those areas would never reach their air quality limits using products compliant with the National Rule, hence the dependence on waterborne in those districts.

We also spoke with a Sherwin-Williams' Product Specialist for Vehicle Refinish/Collision for some insight into how the new formulations are affecting their customer's productivity and profits.

ABP: How are your customers coping with low-VOC formulations?

S.W.: [Eventually] we will all be using low-VOC formulations. I think there are two things in play. You have low-VOC legislation under which all the manufacturers are building low-VOC paints. Then there are application issues. [We know] low-VOC paints are slower [to dry]. However, the advances in spray equipment have dramatically improved finish quality. And there are new paint products that will eliminate the delays in the application. For example, our whole series of national rule clearcoats are what we call "back-to-back." You apply one double coat--no flash time in between coats. As soon as you're finished with the last coat, you can go directly to the bake cycle.

What impact are the new paints having on costs?

Material costs have increased, but what we have achieved in labor saving is compensating for the increases. They can enjoy the same productivity--and in some cases there will be improved productivity for those using these products.

Specifically, what adaptations do the painters have to make in the application of these paints?

Plans are underway to transfer the required information and training from the regulated areas in existence today. Our salesmen have all been updated. Between our training centers and our technical and field sales reps, we have the capability of working with all our customers so they can produce the finish they have come to expect.

From the perspective of this writer, the overall effects of VOC regulation are far less than what was once feared. Thanks to groups like the Refinish Coalition, shops will not be going out of business under the burden of compliance. In fact, the net result could be positive in terms of business. And the benefits of any contribution we can make to clean up the air quality is something our children and we can all share in decades to come.