SECTION 115.473. Control Requirements

(a) The owner or operator shall limit volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions from all adhesives and adhesive primers used during the specified application processes to the following VOC content limits in pounds of VOC per gallon of adhesive (lb VOC/gal adhesive) (minus water and exempt solvent compounds), as delivered to the application system. These limits are based on the daily weighted average of all adhesives or adhesive primers delivered to the application system each day. If an adhesive or adhesive primer is used to bond dissimilar substrates together, then the applicable substrate category with the least stringent VOC content limit applies.

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(1) The owner or operator shall meet the VOC content limits in this subsection by using one of the following options.

(A) The owner or operator shall apply low-VOC adhesives or adhesive primers.

(B) The owner or operator shall apply adhesives or adhesive primers in combination with the operation of a vapor control system.

(2) As an alternative to paragraph (1) of this subsection, the owner or operator may operate a vapor control system capable of achieving an overall control efficiency of 85% of the VOC emissions from adhesives and adhesive primers. Control device and capture efficiency testing must be performed in accordance with the testing requirements in §115.475(3) and (4) of this title (relating to Approved Test Methods and Testing Requirements). If the owner or operator complies with the overall control efficiency option under this paragraph, then the owner or operator is exempt from the application system requirements of subsection (b) of this section.

(3) An owner or operator applying adhesives or adhesive primers in combination with a vapor control system to meet the VOC content limits in paragraph (1) of this subsection, shall use the following equation to determine the minimum overall control efficiency necessary to demonstrate equivalency. Control device and capture efficiency testing must be performed in accordance with the testing requirements in §115.475(3) and (4) of this title.

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(b) The owner or operator of any application process subject to this division shall not apply adhesives or adhesive primers unless one of the following application systems is used:

(1) electrostatic spray;

(2) high-volume, low-pressure spray (HVLP);

(3) flow coat;

(4) roll coat or hand application, including non-spray application methods similar to hand or mechanically powered caulking gun, brush, or direct hand application;

(5) dip coat;

(6) airless spray;

(7) air-assisted airless spray; or

(8) other application system capable of achieving a transfer efficiency equivalent to or better than that achieved by HVLP spray. For the purpose of this requirement, the transfer efficiency of HVLP spray is assumed to be 65%. The owner or operator shall demonstrate that either the application system being used is equivalent to the transfer efficiency of an HVLP spray or that the application system being used has a transfer efficiency of at least 65%.

(c) The following work practices apply to the owner or operator of each application process subject to this division.

(1) For the storage, mixing, and handling of all adhesives, adhesive primers, thinners, and adhesive-related waste materials, the owner or operator shall:

(A) store all VOC-containing adhesives, adhesive primers, and process-related waste materials in closed containers;

(B) ensure that mixing and storage containers used for VOC-containing adhesives, adhesive primers, and process-related waste materials are kept closed at all times;

(C) minimize spills of VOC-containing adhesives, adhesive primers, and process-related waste materials; and

(D) convey VOC-containing adhesives, adhesive primers, and process-related waste materials from one location to another in closed containers or pipes.

(2) For the storage, mixing, and handling of all surface preparation materials and cleaning materials, the owner or operator shall:

(A) store all VOC-containing cleaning materials and used shop towels in closed containers;

(B) ensure that storage containers used for VOC-containing cleaning materials are kept closed at all times except when depositing or removing these materials;

(C) minimize spills of VOC-containing cleaning materials;

(D) convey VOC-containing cleaning materials from one location to another in closed containers or pipes; and

(E) minimize VOC emissions from the cleaning of application, storage, mixing, and conveying equipment by ensuring that equipment cleaning is performed without atomizing the cleaning solvent and all spent solvent is captured in closed containers.

(d) An application process that becomes subject to subsection (a) of this section by exceeding the exemption limits in §115.471(a) of this title (relating to Exemptions) is subject to the provisions in subsection (a) of this section even if throughput or emissions later fall below exemption limits unless emissions are maintained at or below the controlled emissions level achieved while complying with subsection (a) of this section and one of the following conditions is met.

(1) The project that caused a throughput or emission rate to fall below the exemption limits in §115.471(a) of this title must be authorized by a permit, permit amendment, standard permit, or permit by rule required by Chapters 106 or 116 of this title (relating to Permits by Rule; and Control of Air Pollution by Permits for New Construction or Modification, respectively). If a permit by rule is available for the project, the owner or operator shall continue to comply with subsection (a) of this section for 30 days after the filing of documentation of compliance with that permit by rule.

(2) If authorization by permit, permit amendment, standard permit, or permit by rule is not required for the project, the owner or operator shall provide the executive director 30 days notice of the project in writing.

Source Note: The provisions of this §115.473 adopted to be effective December 29, 2011, 36 TexReg 8897; amended to be effective June 25, 2015, 40 TexReg 3907