SGIA Submits Comments on Virginia's Proposed Article 57

SGIA submitted comments to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality on the proposed revisions contained in Article 57, Emission Standards for Industrial Solvent Cleaning Operations in Northern Virginia, Volatile Organic Compound Emissions Control Area, 8 hour Ozone Standard (Rule 4-57). SGIA's intent is to encourage adoption of a regulation that conforms with the industrial solvent cleaning regulations adopted by other states in the same geographic area. Promulgation of any regulatory controls, such as those proposed by the VA DEQ, should allow an industry sector to use the materials that are technologically compatible with their manufacturing process. The comments we offered seek to explore alternative means to promulgate the regulation that will result in environmental benefit without sacrificing an entire industrial sector. SGIA, as with similar state regulatory proposals, recommended the that State adopt a VOC content limit of 4.2 pounds of VOC per gallon for industrial solvents used by screen printing facilities, and that cleaning operations associated with digital printing be exempt. For more information on this regulatory action, please contact Marci Kinter, Vice President - Government & Business Information at govtaffairs@sgia.org.