STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS 

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AL MANAGEMENT 

OFFICE OF AIR RESOURCES 

AIR POLLUTION CONTROL REGULATION NO. 30 

CONTROL OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS 

FROM AUTOMOBILE REFINISHING OPERATIONS 

Effective 31 March 1994 

Last Amended 19 July 2007 

AUTHORITY: These regulations are authorized pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws§ 42-

17 .1-2( s) and 23-23, as amended, and have been promulgated pursuant to the 

procedures set forth in the RI. Administrative Procedures Act, RI. Gen. Laws Chapter 

42-35. 
RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 

OFFICE OF AIR RESOURCES 

AIR POLLUTION CONTROL REGULATION NO. 30 

CONTROLOFVOLATILEORGANICCOMPOUNDSFROM 

AUTOMOBILE REFINISHING OPERATIONS 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

30. l Definitions ...................................................................................................................................................... 1 

30.2 Applicability .................................. , ................................................................................................................ 5 

30.3 Emission Lirnitations ...................................................................................................................................... 5 

TABLE 1 ......................................................................................................................................................... 6 

TABLE2 ......................................................................................................................................................... 7 

30.4Equipment Specifications ....................................................................................................................................... 8 

30.5 Recordkeeping and Reporting ............................................................................................................................... 9 

30.6 Registration ..................................................................................................................................................... 11 

30. 7 Compliance Demonstration/Testing ................................................................................................................ 11 

30.8 Compliance Schedule ...................................................................................................................................... 12 

30.9 General Provisions ............................................................................................................................................. 12 
RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 

OFFICE OF AIR RESOURCES 

AIR POLLUTION CONTROL REGULATION NO. 30 

CONTROL OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS FROM 

AUTOMOBILE REFINISIDNG OPERATIONS 

30.1 Definitions 

Unless othernrise expressly defined in this section, the terms used in this regulation shall 

be defined by reference fo the Rhode Island Air Pollution Control General Definitions 

Regulation. As used in this regulation, the following terms shall, where the context 

permits, be construed as follows: 

30.l.l "Automobile Refinishing" means any coating of Group I or Group II 

vehicles, their parts and components, or _mobile equipment, including partial body 

collision repairs, for the purpose of protection or beautification and which is 

subsequent to the original coating applied at the plant coating assembly line. 

30.1.2 "Anti-glare/Safety Coating" means a low gloss coating formulated to eliminate 

glare for safety purposes on interior surfaces of a vehicle, as specified under the 

U.S. Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Standards. 

30.1.3 "Basecoat/Clearcoat System" means a 2-stage topcoat system composed 

of a colored basecoat and a transparent final coat. For compliance purposes, the 

voe content ofbasecoat/clearcoat systems is calculated according to the 

following formula: 

Where: 

voe Tbc1cc= (VOebc+2VOecc)/3 

voe Tbc!cc is the weighted average of the VOe content, in pounds 

voe/gallon of coating, as applied, minus water, in the basecoat and 

clearcoat system. 

VOebc is the VOC content, in pounds voe/gallons of coating, as applied, 

minus water, of any given basecoat. 

VOecc is the VOC content, in pounds voe/gallons of coating, as applied, 

minus water, of any given clearcoat. 

30.1.4 "Catalyst" means a substance whose presence initiates the reaction 

between chemical compounds. 

Page I of 13 
30.1.5 "Certified Product Data Sheet" means documentation furnished by a 

coating supplier that provides the voe content of an automobile refinishing 

coating in pounds ofVOC per gallon of coating, as applied, minus water or of a 

surface preparation product, in pounds ofVOC per gallon of material, as applied, 

including water, when mixed and used according to the manufacturer's 

recommendations. VOC content shall be measured using EPA Methods 24 and 

311, or an equivalent or alternative method. The purpose of the Certified Product 

Data Sheet is to assist the facility in demonstrating compliance with the emission 

limitations presented in Section 30.3 of this regulation. Therefore, the VOC 

content should represent the maximum voe emission potential of the automobile 

refinishing coating or surface preparation product. Charts provided by a 

manufacturer listing the VOC content, as applied, of several of the manufacturer's 

products will be considered acceptable Certified Product Data Sheets provided 

that they include the information specified in this definition. 

30.1.6 "Coating applicator" means a device, mechanism, or apparatus used to 

apply a surface coating. Common types of application techniques include knife, 

roll, spray or dip. 

30.1.7 "Coating line" means an operation or manufacturing process or device 

which may be comprised of one or more coating applicators, one or more flashoff areas and/or one or more ovens wherein a surface coating is dried and/or 

cured. 

30.1.8 "Color Match" means the ability of a repair coating to blend into an 

existing coating so that color difference is not visible. 

30.1.9 "Electrostatic Application" means the application of charged atomized 

paint droplets which are deposited by electrostatic attraction. 

30.1.10 "Extreme performance coatings" means coatings intended for exposure to any 

of the following; outdoor weather conditions all of the time, temperatures 

frequently above 95EC (203EF), detergents, abrasive and scouring agents, 

solvents, corrosive atmospheres, or similar environmental conditions. 

30.1.11 "Four Stage Coating System" means a topcoat system composed of a colored 

basecoat, two semi-transparent midcoats and a final transparent clearcoat. For 

compliance purposes, the voe content of four stage coating systems is calculated 

according to the following formula: 

VOC T4-stage= (VOCbc + VOCmc1 + VOCmc2 + 2VOCcc)/5 

Where: 

VOC T4-stage is the weighted average of the VOC content, in pounds VOC/gallon 

of coating, as applied, minus water, in a basecoat, midcoat and clearcoat system. 

Page 2of13 
VOebc is the voe content, in pounds voe/gallon of coating, as applied, minus 

water, of any given basecoat. 

VOemc1 is the VOe content, in pounds VOe/gallon of coating, as applied, minus 

water, of the first midcoat. 

VOemc2 is the voe content, in pounds voe/gallon of coating, as applied, minus 

water, of the second midcoat. 

VOecc is the voe content, in pounds voe/gallon of coating, as applied, minus 

water, of any given clearcoat. 

30.1.12 "Group I vehicles" means passenger cars, large/heavy duty truck cabs and 

chassis, light and medium duty trucks and vans, and motorcycles. 

30.1.13 "Group II vehicles and equipment" means public transit buses and mobile 

equipment. 

30.1.14 "High Volume Low Pressure (HVLP) spray" means equipment used to apply 

coatings by means of a spray gun which operates at between 0.1 and I 0 psig air 

pressure. 

30.1.15 "Lacquer" means coating that dries primarily by solvent evaporation and is 

resoluble in its original solvent. 

30.1.16 "Large/Heavy Duty Trucks" means any truck having a manufacturer's gross 

vehicle weight rating of over 10,000 pounds. 

30.l.17"Light and Medium Trucks and Vans" means any truck or van having a 

manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less. 

30.1.18 "Mobile Equipment" means any equipment which may be drawn or is capable 

of being driven on a roadway, including, but not limited to, truck bodies, truck · 

trailers, utility bodies, camper shells, mobile cranes, bulldozers, street cleaners, 

golf carts and implements of husbandry. 

30.1.19 "Oven" means a chamber within which heat is used to bake, cure or polymerize 

and/or dry a surface coating. 

30.1.20 "Pretreatment" means any coating which contains a minimum of 0.5 percent 

acid by weight, is necessary to provide surface etching, and is applied directly to 

bare metal surfaces to provide corrosion resistance and adhesion. 

30.1.21 "Primer" means any coating applied prior to the application of a topcoat for the 

purpose of corrosion resistance or adhesion. 

Page 3of13 
30.1.22 "Primer Sealer" means a coating that improves the adhesion of the topcoat, 

provides corrosion resistance, promotes color uniformity, and that resists 

penetration by the topcoat. "Primer Sealer" includes a first coat applied to bare 

metal primarily for the purpose of preventing corrosion. 

30.1.23 "Primer Surfacer" means a coating that fills in surface imperfections and builds 

a film thickness in order to allow sanding. 

30.1.24 "Reducer" means a solvent used to thin enamel. 

30.1.25 "Specialty Coating" means a product which is necessary due to unusual job 

performance requirements. These coatings or additives include, but are not 

limited to, adhesion promoters, uniform finish blenders, elastomeric materials, 

gloss flatteners, bright metal trim repair, and anti-glare coatings. 

30.1.26 "Surface Preparation Product" means a product formulated to dissolve and 

remove tar, grease~ wax, and other hydrophobic contaminants from a surface to be 

refinished. 

30.1.27 "Three Stage Coating System" means a topcoat system composed of a colored 

basecoat, a semi-transparent midcoat and a final transparent clearcoat. For 

compliance purposes, the voe content of three stage coating systems is 

calculated according to the following formula: 

VOe TJ.stage= (VOebc + VOemc + 2VOCcc)/4 

Where: 

voe TJ-stage is the weighted average of the voe content, in pounds VOe/gallon 

of coating, as applied, minus water, in a basecoat, midcoat and clearcoat system. 

VOebc is the VOC content, in pounds VOC/gallon of coating, as applied, minus 

water, of any given basecoat. 

VOemc is the voe content, in pounds voe/gallon of coating, as applied, minus 

water, of any given midcoat. 

voe.cc is the VOe content, in pounds voe/gallon of coating, as applied, minus 

water, of any given clearcoat. 

30.1.28 "Topcoat" means the final film or series of films of coating applied to a surface 

and includes basecoat/clearcoat systems. 

30.1.29 "Transfer Efficiency" means the portion of coating solids which adhere to the 

substrate during the application process, expressed as a percentage of the total 

volume of coating solids delivered by the applicator. 

Page 4of13 
30.1. 30 "Utility Body" means a special service compartment or unit that will be bolted, 

welded, or affixed onto an existing cab and chassis. The compartment may serve 

as storage for equipment or parts. 

30.2 Applicability 

30.2.1 The provisions of this regulation apply to any person who owns, leases, operates 

or controls an automobile refinishing facility. The provisions of Section 30.3 

shall also apply to any person who sells or offers for sale in Rhode Island any 

automobile refinishing coating or surface preparation product. 

30.2.2 Where·rer the term Volatile Organic CompoWld or VOC is Hsed in Seetioas 30.2 

throt:igh 30.8 and Sueseetioas 30.1.3, 30.1.5, 30.1.11 and 30.1. 27, this term 

shot:ild be read as Volatile Organic CompoWld and Halogenated Organic 

Compol:l:Bd or VOC and HOC. 

30.3 Emission Limitations 

30.3.l Group I Vehicles 

All coatings used for refinishing Group I vehicles, their parts and components, or Group 

II vehicles and mobile equipment where color match is required, must meet the emission 

limitations listed in Table 1: 

Page 5 ofl3 
TABLE 1 

TYPE OF COATING EMISSION LIMITATION 

lb VOC/gallon lb VOC/gallon solids 

coating applied applied 

minus water 

Pretreatment 6.5 55.6 

Primer/Primer Surfacer 4.8 13.8 

Primer Sealer 4.6 12.3 

Topcoat 5.0 15.6 

Three or Four Stage Coating 5.2 17.7 

Specialty Coating 7.0 143.l 

For facilities complying without using add-on control equipment, the pounds ofVOC per 

gallon of coating (minus water) limit must be met. For facilities which use add-on 

control equipment, the pounds ofVOC/gallon of solids emission limit must be met. 

30.3.2 Group II Vehicles 

All used for refinishing Group II vehicles or their parts and components where color 

match is not required, must meet the emission limitations listed in Table 2: 

Page 6of13 
TABLE2 

TYPE OF COATING EMISSION LIMITATION 

lb VOC/gallon lb VOC/gallon of 

coating applied solids applied 

minus water 

Pretreatment 6.5 55.6 

Primer/Primer Surfacer 2.8 4.5 

Primer Sealer 3.5 6.7 

Topcoat 3.5 6.7 

Extreme Performance Coating 6.2 39.3 

Specialty Coating 7.0 143.l 

For facilities complying without using add-on control equipment, the pounds ofVOC per 

gallon of coating (minus water) limit must be met. For facilities which use add-on 

control equipment, the pounds ofVOC/gallon of solids emission limit must be met. 

30.3.3 Compliance with the emission limitations of Subsections 30.3.1 and 30.3.2 shall 

be achieved through: 

(a) Use of coatings which comply with the applicable emission 

limitations listed in Subsection 30.3.l and 30.3.2 for all coatings used, or 

(b) Installation of a control system which has been approved by the 

Department and which reduces the total VOC emissions from the facility 

by 95 percent or greater as compared to uncontrolled voe emissions, or 

( c) Installation of a control system which has been approved by the 

Department and which reduces VOC emissions to the equivalent of the 

emission limitations of Subsections 30.3.1 and 30.3.2 as calculated on a 

solids applied basis, or 

' 

( d) An alternative equivalent method of control as approved by the 

Director. Any alternative method approved by the Director must also be 

approved by EPA as a source specific State Implementation Plan (SIP) 

rev1s1on. 

30.3.4 All surface preparation products, except for surface preparation products 

which are used exclusively on plastic surfaces, shall have a VOC content which 

does not exceed 1.4 pounds VOC/gallon of material as applied including water. 

Page 7of13 
Surface preparation products which are used exclusively on plastic surfaces shall 

have a VOC content which does not exceed 6.5 pounds VOC/gallon of material as 

applied including water. 

30.3.5 No person shall sell or offer for sale in Rhode Island any automobile 

refinishing coating or surface preparation product that does not comply with the 

applicable emission limitations in Subsections 30.3.l, 30.3.2, and 30.3.4. This 

provision does not apply to the following: 

(a) Sale of automobile refinishing coatings and surface preparation 

products supplied in containers having capacities less than one pint, 

(b) Sale of automobile refinishing coatings or surface preparation 

products for use in applications other than automobile refinishing, 

( c) Sale of automobile refinishing coatfogs or surface preparation 

products for use outside of the State of Rhode Island, 

( d) Sale of automobile refinishing coatings to facilities which are 

equipped with and are operating a control system provided that: 

( 1) The control system is in compliance with the specifications 

in Paragraph (c) of Subsection 30.3.3, and 

(2) The buyer provides the seller with a copy of the 

Department's approval of the control system, and 

(3) The seller maintains the copy of the approval for a period 

of three years and makes it available for inspection by the 

Department or the EPA upon request. 

30.3.6 Any person selling an automobile refinishing coating or surface 

preparation product in Rhode Island shall provide the buyer with a copy of a 

Certified Product Data Sheet for that material, as defined in Subsection 30. l. 5. 

30.4 Equipment Specifications 

30.4.l No person shall engage in automobile refinishing unless one of the 

following methods is used: 

(a) Electrostatic application equipment, operated in accordance with 

the manufacturer's recommendations; or 

(b) High Volume Low Pressure (HVLP) spray equipment, operated in 

accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations; or 

Page 8of13 
( c) Another type of application which achieves a transfer efficiency of 

at least 65% and has been approved by the Director. 

30.4.2 All spray guns must be cleaned in a device that meets the following 

specifications: 

(a) Solvent must be recirculated during the cleaning process so that the 

solvent is used until it no longer cleans guns satisfactorily; and 

(b) Spent solvent must be collected so it is available for disposal; and 

( c) The device must be vapor tight during cleaning, rinsing and 

draining operations or must achieve equivalent emissions reductions and 

be approved by the Director. 

30.4.3 Fresh and spent solvent, cloth or paper which has been used for solvent 

surface preparation and cleanup, waste paint, and sludge must be stored in closed 

containers. Disposal of such materials must be in accordance with applicable 

hazardous waste and solid waste regulations. 

30.5 Recordkeeping and Reporting 

30.5.l On and after the compliance dates specified in Subsection 30.8.1, the 

owner or operator of an automobile refinishing facility shall collect and record all 

of the following information and maintain the information at the facility for a 

period of 3 years. These records shall be made available to the Department and 

EPA upon request. 

(a) The name, identification number and manufacturer of each coating, 

reducer, catalyst surface preparation product, and cleanup solvent used at 

the facility; 

(b) The volume of each coating, reducer, surface preparation product, 

and cleanup solvent used at the facility each month; 

(c) Certified Product Data Sheets showing the VOC content, in pounds 

ofVOC/gallon of coating, excluding water, as applied, of each coating 

used at the facility; 

(d) Certified Product Data Sheets showing the VOC content, in pounds 

ofVOC/gallon of material, including water, as applied, of each surface 

preparation product used at the facility; 

(e) For each basecoat/clearcoat, three stage coating, and four stage 

coating system used, the weighted average VOC content of the coating, 

calculated as specified in Subsections 30.1.7, 30.1.11and30.1.27; 

Page 9of13 
(f) A daily log of operating time for any capture system, control 

device, monitoring equipment, and the associated coating line or 

operation; 

(g) A maintenance log for any capture system, control device, and 

monitoring equipment detailing all routine and non-routine maintenance 

performed including dates and duration of any outages; 

(h) For thermal incinerators: 

(1) All 3-hour periods of operation in which the average 

combustion temperature was more than 28EC (50EF) below the 

average combustion temperature during the most recent 

performance test that demonstrated that the facility was in 

compliance, and 

(2) The operating temperature. 

(i) For catalytic incinerators: 

(1) All periods where the temperature increase across the 

catalyst bed is less than 80% of the temperature increase recorded 

during the most recent performance test that demonstrated that the 

facility was in compliance, and 

(2) The inlet and outlet temperatures and temperature rise 

across the catalyst bed. 

G) For carbon adsorbers: 

(1) All 3-hour periods of operation during which the average 

voe concentration or reading of organics in the exhaust gases is 

more than 20 percent greater than the average exhaust gas 

concentration or reading measured by the organics monitoring 

device during the most recent determination of the recovery 

efficiency of the carbon adsorber that demonstrated that the facility 

was in compliance, and 

(2) The pressure drop across the adsorber and the hydrocarbon 

levels for breakthrough. 

Page 10of13 
30.6 Registration 

30.6. l All facilities which perform automobile refinishing must register annually 

with the Office of Air Resources. No later than 45 days following the end of a 

calendar year, the following information must be submitted on forms supplied by 

the Department: 

(a) The name and address of the facility and the name and telephone 

number of a responsible corporate official submitting the registration, and 

(b) A description of all operations in the facility from which volatile 

organic compounds are emitted, and 

( c) Quantities of coatings, solvents, dissolvers, viscosity reducers, 

diluents, thinners, reagents, cleaning agents, enamels, lacquers, or paints 

consumed during the calendar year of record, and 

( d) The amount of volatile organic compound per gallon of coating 

solution (pounds per gallon) for each coating, enamel, lacquer, or paint 

consumed at the facility during the calendar year of record. 

30. 7 Compliance Demonstrationff esting 

30.7.l Compliance with emission limitations of Subsections 30.3.1, 30.3.2 and 

30.3.4 shall be demonstrated upon request of the Director in accordance with 40 

CFR 60, Appendix A, Methods 24, 24A, 25 as amended or any other EPA 

approved method which has been accepted by the Director. A one hour bake time 

must be used for Methods 24 and 24A. Methods 24 and 24A apply to 

multicomponent coatings. 

30.7.2 (Reserved for stack exhaust sampling techniques.) 

30.7.3 Facilities using control equipment to comply with the emission limitations 

of Subsections 30.3.l and 30.3.2 must show that the equipment meets specific 

capture and control efficiency limits which will be set in an enforceable 

document. Compliance must be demonstrated upon equipment start up and 

thereafter upon request of the Director. Control efficiency of the equipment shall 

be determined using EPA-approved test methods. Calculations shall be done on a 

solids applied basis. Compliance averaging times shall be met according to the 

control device chosen and EPA test methods (as codified in 40 CFR 60), as 

follows: 

Page II of 13 
Compliance Method 

Solvent destruction or 

solvent recovery except 

carbon adsorption 

Carbon adsorption 

EPA Reference Test 

Method 

25 

25 or other test method as 

appropriate 

Test Averaging Time 

3 hours 

The length of adsorption 

cycle or 24-hours, whichever is less. 

or other methods approved by the Department and EPA. Once the control 

efficiency has been determined for any control device by Reference Method 25, 

or any alternative method approved by the Department and EPA, compliance shall 

be determined on an instantaneous basis time period (e.g. determined control 

efficiency shall be used to calculate whether samples from the process meet the 

applicable emissions limit.) Continuous compliance will be maintained at all 

times. 

30.7.4 Compliance with transfer efficiency requirements specified in Subsection 

30.4.l(c) shall be demonstrated using a method acceptable to the Department and 

EPA. 

30.8 Compliance Schedule 

30.8.1 Persons owning, leasing or controlling the operation of any automobile 

refinishing facility shall achieve compliance with the requirements of this 

regulation no later than July 1, 1995. All automobile refinishing operations 

commencing operation after July 1, 1994 must be in compliance with the 

emission limits specified in Subsection 30.3.1 and 30.3.2 upon commencing 

operation. 

30.8.2 Within fifteen (15) days of achieving compliance with sections 30.3 and 

30.4 the owner or operator of the facility shall certify to the Director in writing 

that compliance has been achieved. Such certification shall be signed by the 

owner or operator of the facility, and shall include the date that compliance was 

achieved. 

30.9 General Provisions 

30.9.l Purpose 

The purpose of this regulation is to limit volatile organic compound 

emissions from automobile refinishing operations. 

Page 12of13 
30.9.2 Authority 

These regulations are authorized pursuant to RI. Gen. Laws§ 42-l 7.l-2(s) 

and 23-23, as amended, and have been promulgated pursuant to the 

procedures set forth in the RI. Administrative Procedures Act, RI. Gen. 

Laws Chapter 42-35 

30.9.3 ~lication 

The terms B:B:d provisions of this reg:tliation shall be libeFally construed to 

permit the Departmeat to effeeteate the pl:lf)9eses ef state 11¥1+', goals and 

policies. 

30.9.4 Severability 

If any provision of this regulation or the application thereof to any person or 

circumstance, is held invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the 

validity of the remainder of the regulation shall not be affected thereby. 

30.9.5 Effective Date 

The foregoing regulation, "Control of Volatile Organic Compounds from 

Automobile Refinishing Operations'', as amended, after due notice, is hereby 

adopted and filed with the Secretary of State this 29th day of 

June , 2007 to become effective twenty (20) days thereafter, in 

accordance with the provisions of Chapters 23-23, 42-35, 42-17.l, 42-17.6, 

of the General Laws of Rhode Island of 1956, as amended. 

W. Michael Sullivan, PhD., Director 

Department of Environmental Management 

Notice Given on: February 21, 2007 

Public Hearing held: March 23, 2007 

Filing Date: June 29, 2007 

Effective Date: July 19, 2007 

Page 13of13