The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state regulatory authorities are tightening limits on Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) for industrial maintenance paints and coatings which add to ozone levels when they evaporate into the atmosphere. These regulations apply to industrial maintenance primers, intermediate coats and topcoats formulated for application to substrates exposed to one or more of the following conditions:

• Immersion in water, wastewater or chemical solutions, or chronic exposure of interior surfaces to moisture condensation.

• Acute or chronic exposure to corrosive, caustic or acidic agents, or to chemicals, chemical fumes or chemical mixtures or solutions.

• Repeated exposure to temperatures above 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).

• Repeated heavy abrasion, including mechanical wear and repeated scrubbing with industrial solvents, cleaners or scouring agents.

• Exterior exposure of metal structures and structural components.

“Paints and coatings typically contain significant levels of VOCs, therefore, these new regulations will have a major impact on the selection and specification of these materials,” according to Mark Thomas, vice president of Marketing for Tnemec.

The new regulations, which limit VOC content of industrial maintenance coatings vary widely across the country, adding complexity and confusion to the already technical process involved with coating selection. In California, for example, two different standards are being enforced. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) Model Rule caps VOC levels of industrial maintenance coatings at 250 g/L, while the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) in the Los Angeles area sets the limit at 100 g/L.

A coalition of northeastern and mid-Atlantic states formed a Washington, D.C.-based group known as the Ozone Transport Commission (OTC) that plans to adopt the current CARB rule in 2010. Affected states include Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia, as well as the District of Columbia. Ohio and Illinois have already adopted the current OTC standards for VOCs and Indiana will adopt them in 2010.

“Engineers in Indiana are bidding jobs now that will be constructed and coated next year, so they need to have their specifications in line with the new VOC standards,” acknowledged Tnemec coating consultant Jerry Petro. “We have been working very conscientiously with our engineers around the state updating their specifications in order to get out in front of the curve. We’re showing engineers which products in their specifications comply with the new regulations and which ones do not comply, and we email them a copy of what they need to put into their master spec.”

Other states follow the National Architectural and Industrial Maintenance (AIM) Rule that currently caps the VOC levels at 450 g/L, although a new AIM Model Rule limit of 340 g/L is expected to be implemented in 2011. “The AIM Rule covers the entire United States except where individual states adopt a more stringent regulation,” Thomas noted.

The effect of the new regulations was evident during coating selection for two potable water storage tank projects in St. Charles, Illinois, and Belmont, Ohio. Both projects specified a low-VOC fluoropolymer topcoat, Tnemec Series V700 HydroFlon, which meets the lower limits for Industrial Maintenance coatings in all regulatory districts including California. Especially designed for tanks and other exposed steel substrates, Series V700 offers the same outstanding resistance to ultra-violet light degradation and unprecedented long-term gloss and color retention as Tnemec’s standard fluoropolymer formulation. It also provides excellent resistance to abrasion and chalking.

The original exterior coating systems on both tanks were pressure washed at 5,000 psi and bare metal was prepared in accordance with SSPC-SP2 Hand Tool Cleaning and SSPC-SP3 Power Tool Cleaning prior to recoating. In St. Charles, the single pedestal 150,000-gallon sphere tank owned by Glenwood School was spot-primed using Series 135 Chembuild, a modified polyamidoamine epoxy. Next, an intermediate coat of Series 73 Endura-Shield, an aliphatic acrylic polyurethane, and a topcoat of Series V700 were roller applied.

The field applicator for the Glenwood School tank was Jetco Ltd. “Using Series V700 is basically like using the standard HydroFlon,” acknowledged Steve Brend, president of Jetco. “You use the same 3/8-in nap roller covers to apply both the standard and low-VOC HydroFlon coatings. The important thing is you have to put on the right intermediate coat color to avoid covering issues when you apply the finish coat.”

Series V700 also offers similar performance to the standard HydroFlon, including resistance to ultra-violet light degradation for long-term gloss and color retention. “Series V700 was selected to meet the lower VOC requirements, as well as provide long-term gloss and color retention,” explained Sean Carlin, Tnemec coating consultant for the Belmont, Ohio, water tank.

“We’re urging architects, specifiers, engineers, contractors and owners to update their specifications now to ensure compliance with the new environmental regulation once they’re implemented,” Thomas added. “Tnemec has created a product selection tool as a quick reference of compliant products. Our expert coating consultants are another excellent resource for VOC-compliant coating system recommendations.” 

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