NEWS FROM THE DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL
July 15, 2008
Vol. 38, No. 328
For more information contact Gene Pettingill, Air Quality Management Section, 323-4542 or Melanie Rapp, Public Affairs, 302-739-9902.
Workshop Set for July 30 on Draft Regulations to Reduce Volatile
Organic Compounds from Some Commercial and Consumer Products
DOVER, Del. – DNREC’s Air Quality Management Section will hold a public workshop at 6 p.m., Wednesday, July 30 in the DNREC auditorium, Richardson and Robbins Building, 89 Kings Hwy., Dover, on draft regulations that will reduce volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from some commercial and consumer products sold, distributed, manufactured or used in Delaware.
VOCs and other compounds can react in the lower atmosphere during hot, still, sunny days to form ground-level ozone. High levels of ground-level ozone can damage lung tissue, aggravate respiratory conditions, including asthma, and make people more susceptible to respiratory infections. Children are especially vulnerable to ozone’s harmful effects.
Currently Delaware does not meet federal ground-level ozone air quality standards. Delaware is one of twelve northeast states and the District of Columbia that are part of the Ozone Transport Commission created under the Clean Air Act that works to develop and implement solutions to the ground-level ozone problem in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. The draft regulations will reduce VOC emissions and are part of DNRECs plan to attain the federal ozone standard in 2009.
Amendment of Regulation 1141, “Limiting Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds from Commercial and Consumer Products,” adds the sale, distribution and manufacture of 23 consumer products and product types to the 89 products in the original rule (Section 2.0) which was effective in 2005. These include products for personal hygiene and grooming, home cleaning and cleaning of electrical and electronic equipment. The amendment would reduce VOC emissions in Delaware by up to 220 tons per year.
In addition, a new Section 4.0 to Regulation 1141 was drafted to include the sales, distribution, manufacture or use of industrial and commercial adhesive and sealant products. The new section includes the regulation of VOC content in certain industrial or commercial adhesives and sealant compounds, such as those used in home construction, carpet and roof installation, auto repair and tire retreading operations. If adopted, this section to the regulation is projected to reduce VOC emissions by about 365 tons per year.
The draft can be viewed on DNREC’s website at http://www.awm.delaware.gov/Info/Regs/Pages/AQMPlansRegs.aspx or inspected 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, at the Air Quality Management Offices, 156 S. State Street, Dover or 715 Grantham Lane, New Castle.
Manufacturers, small businesses, distributors and the public are encouraged to attend the workshop to learn more about the draft regulations and provide input.
For more information contact Gene Pettingill in New Castle at (302) 323-4542 or Ron Amirikian in Dover at (302) 739-9402.
