STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL 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 R.I. Administrative Procedures Act, R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 

42-35.
RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

OFFICE OF AIR RESOURCES

AIR POLLUTION CONTROL REGULATION NO. 30

CONTROL OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS FROM

AUTOMOBILE REFINISHING OPERATIONS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

30.1 Definitions......................................................................................................................................................1

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

30.3 Emission Limitations.......................................................................................................................................5

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

TABLE 2.........................................................................................................................................................7

30.4 Equipment 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
Page 1 of 13

RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

OFFICE OF AIR RESOURCES

AIR POLLUTION CONTROL REGULATION NO. 30

CONTROL OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS FROM

AUTOMOBILE REFINISHING OPERATIONS

30.1 Definitions 

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

be defined by reference to 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:

30.1.1 "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 VOC 

content of basecoat/clearcoat systems is calculated according to the following 

formula:

VOC Tbc/cc= (VOCbc+2VOCcc)/3

Where:

VOC Tbc/cc is the weighted average of the VOC content, in pounds 

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

clearcoat system.

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

minus water, of any given basecoat.

VOCcc is the VOC content, in pounds VOC/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 2 of 13

30.1.5 "Certified Product Data Sheet" means documentation furnished by a coating 

supplier that provides the VOC content of an automobile refinishing coating in 

pounds of VOC per gallon of coating, as applied, minus water or of a surface 

preparation product, in pounds of VOC 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 VOC 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 flash-off 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 VOC 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 
Page 3 of 13

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

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

water, of any given basecoat.

VOCmc1 is the VOC content, in pounds VOC/gallon of coating, as applied, minus 

water, of the first midcoat.

VOCmc2 is the VOC content, in pounds VOC/gallon of coating, as applied, minus 

water, of the second midcoat.

VOCcc is the VOC content, in pounds VOC/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 10 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.

30.1.17"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.
Page 4 of 13

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

purpose of corrosion resistance or adhesion.

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 VOC content of three stage coating systems is 

calculated according to the following formula:

VOC T3-stage= (VOCbc + VOCmc + 2VOCcc)/4

Where:

VOC T3-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.

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

water, of any given basecoat.

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

water, of any given midcoat.

VOC.cc is the VOC content, in pounds VOC/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.
Page 5 of 13

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.

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 Wherever the term Volatile Organic Compound or VOC is used in Sections 30.2 

through 30.8 and Subsections 30.1.3, 30.1.5, 30.1.11 and 30.1. 27, this term 

should be read as Volatile Organic Compound and Halogenated Organic 

Compound or VOC and HOC.

30.3 Emission Limitations

30.3.1 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 6 of 13

TABLE 1

TYPE OF COATING EMISSION LIMITATION

lb VOC/gallon 

coating applied 

minus water

lb VOC/gallon solids 

applied

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 7.0 143.1 

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

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

control equipment, the pounds of VOC/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 7 of 13

TABLE 2

TYPE OF COATING EMISSION LIMITATION

lb VOC/gallon 

coating applied 

minus water

lb VOC/gallon of 

solids applied

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 7.0 143.1

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

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

control equipment, the pounds of VOC/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 30.3.1 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 VOC 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) revision.

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. Surface 

preparation products which are used exclusively on plastic surfaces shall have a 
Page 8 of 13

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 30.3.1, 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 coatings 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 30.1. 5.

30.4 Equipment Specifications

30.4.1 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 9 of 13

(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

30.5.1 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 of 

VOC/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 of 

VOC/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, 30.1.11 and 30.1.27;
Page 10 of 13

(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.

(j) For carbon adsorbers:

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

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 11 of 13

30.6 Registration

30.6.1 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 Demonstration/Testing

30.7.1 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 30.3.1 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 12 of 13

Compliance Method EPA Reference Test 

Method

Test Averaging Time

Solvent destruction or 

solvent recovery except 

carbon adsorption 

25 3 hours

Carbon adsorption 25 or other test method as 

appropriate

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 

30.4.1(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

30.9.1 Purpose

The purpose of this regulation is to limit volatile organic compound 

emissions from automobile refinishing operations.

30.9.2 Authority
Page 13 of 13

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 R.I. Administrative Procedures Act, R.I. Gen. 

Laws Chapter 42-35

30.9.3 Application

The terms and provisions of this regulation shall be liberally construed to 

permit the Department to effectuate the purposes of state law, 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, 42-17.1, 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