1168 - 1 

(Adopted April 7, 1989)(Amended March 2, 1990)(Amended Feb. 1, 1991) 

(Amended July 19, 1991)(Amended August 2, 1991) 

(Amended December 4, 1992)(Amended December 10, 1993) 

(Amended April 11, 1997)(Amended February 13, 1998)(Amended September 15, 2000) 

(Amended June 7, 2002)(Amended July 12, 2002)(Amended October 3, 2003) 

(Amended January 7, 2005) 

RULE 1168. ADHESIVE AND SEALANT APPLICATIONS 

(a) Purpose and Applicability 

The purpose of this rule is to reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds 

(VOCs) and to eliminate emissions of chloroform, ethylene dichloride, methylene 

chloride, perchloroethylene, and trichloroethylene from the application of 

adhesives, adhesive bonding primers, adhesive primers, sealants, sealant primers, 

or any other primers. This rule applies to all commercial and industrial sales and 

applications of adhesives, adhesive bonding primers, adhesive primers, sealants, 

sealant primers, or any other primers, unless otherwise specifically exempted by 

this rule. 

(b) Definitions 

For the purpose of this rule, the following definitions shall apply: 

(1) ACRYLIC is a thermoplastic polymer or copolymer of acrylic acid, 

methacrylic acid, esters of these acids, or acrylonitrile. 

(2) ACRYLONITRILE-BUTADIENE-STYRENE (ABS) plastic is made by 

reacting monomers of acrylonitrile, butadiene, and styrene and is normally 

identified with an ABS marking. 

(3) ADHESIVE is any substance that is used to bond one surface to another 

surface by attachment. Adhesives include adhesive bonding primers, 

adhesive primers, adhesive primers for plastics, and any other primer. 

(4) ADHESIVE BONDING PRIMER is an adhesive applied to a surface to 

improve the bond of subsequent adhesives and sometimes to inhibit 

corrosion. 

(5) ADHESIVE PRIMER is a coating applied to a substrate, prior to the 

application of an adhesive, to provide a bonding surface. 

(6) ADHESIVE PRIMER FOR PLASTIC is a material applied to a plastic 

substrate before applying an adhesive in order to obtain better adhesion. 

(7) ADHESIVE PROMOTER is a coating applied to a substrate in a 

monomolecular thickness to promote wetting and form a chemical bond 

with the subsequently applied material. 
Rule 1168 (Cont.) (Amended January 7, 2005) 

1168 - 2 

(8) ADHESIVE SOLID is the nonvolatile portion of an adhesive that remains 

after heating a sample of the material at 110oC for one hour. 

(9) AEROSOL ADHESIVE means any adhesive packaged as an aerosol 

product in which the spray mechanism is permanently housed in a 

nonrefillable can designed for hand-held application without the need for 

ancillary hoses or spray equipment. Aerosol adhesives include special 

purpose spray adhesives, mist spray adhesives, and web spray adhesives, 

as defined by the California Air Resources Board consumer products 

regulation found in Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations, 

beginning at Section 94507. 

(10) AEROSOL SPRAY CAN is a hand held, pressurized, non-refillable 

container which expels adhesives from the container in a finely divided 

spray when a valve on the container is depressed. 

(11) AEROSPACE COMPONENT is the fabricated part, assembly of parts, or 

completed unit of any aircraft or space vehicle (excluding tires), and 

includes models, mock-ups, prototypes, and test coupons. 

(12) AIRCRAFT means any machine designed to travel through the air, 

without leaving the earth's atmosphere, whether heavier or lighter than air, 

including airplanes, balloons, dirigibles, helicopters, and missiles. 

(13) AIRCRAFT TIRE REPAIR is the repair and retreading of used tires used 

on aircraft. This includes the repair of damage to the tire casing, removal 

of old tread rubber and tread reinforcing materials, and application of new 

tread and tread reinforcing materials. 

(14) ARCHITECTURAL APPLICATION is the use of an adhesive, sealant, or 

adhesive or sealant primer on stationary structures, including mobile 

homes, and their appurtenances. Appurtenances to an architectural 

structure include, but are not limited to: hand railings, cabinets, bathroom 

and kitchen fixtures, fences, rain gutters and downspouts, and windows. 

(15) ARCHITECTURAL SEALANT OR SEALANT PRIMER is any sealant 

or sealant primer applied to stationary structures, including mobile homes, 

and their appurtenances. Appurtenances to an architectural structure 

include, but are not limited to: hand railings, cabinets, bathroom and 

kitchen fixtures, fences, rain gutters and downspouts, and windows. 

(16) CARPET PAD ADHESIVE is an adhesive used for the installation of a 

carpet pad (or cushion) beneath a carpet. 
Rule 1168 (Cont.) (Amended January 7, 2005) 

1168 - 3 

(17) CERAMIC TILE ADHESIVE is an adhesive used for the installation of 

ceramic tile products. 

(18) CERAMIC TILES are a ceramic surfacing unit made from clay or a 

mixture of clay and other materials. 

(19) CHLORINATED POLYVINYL CHLORIDE (CPVC) plastic is a polymer 

of the chlorinated polyvinyl monomer that contains 67% chlorine and is 

normally identified with a CPVC marking. 

(20) COATING SOLID is the nonvolatile portion of a coating that remains 

after heating a sample of the material at 110oC for one hour. 

(21) COMPUTER DISKETTE MANUFACTURING is the process where the 

fold-over flaps are glued to the body of a vinyl jacket. 

(22) CONTACT ADHESIVE is an adhesive applied to two separate surfaces, 

allowed to dry, and brought together for adhesion and bonding with 

subsequent pressure. 

(23) COVE BASE ADHESIVE is an adhesive used during the installation of 

cove base (or wall base), which is generally made of vinyl or rubber, on a 

wall or vertical surface at floor level. 

(24) CYANOACRYLATE ADHESIVE is a single-component reactive diluent 

adhesive that contains at least 85 percent by weight ethyl, methyl, 

methoxymethyl or other functional groupings of cyanoacrylate. 

(25) DRY WALL ADHESIVE is an adhesive used during the installation of 

gypsum dry wall to studs or solid surfaces. 

(26) EXEMPT COMPOUNDS are as defined in Rule 102. 

(27) FACILITY means any permit unit or grouping of permit units or other air 

contaminant-emitting activities which are located on one or more 

contiguous properties within the District, in actual physical contact or 

separated solely by a public roadway or other public right-of-way, and are 

owned or operated by the same person (or by persons under common 

control). Such above-described groupings, if not contiguous, but 

connected only by land carrying a pipeline, shall not be considered one 

facility. 

(28) FIBERGLASS is fine filaments of glass. 

(29) FOAM is a rigid or spongy cellular mass with gas bubbles dispersed 

throughout. 

(30) GLUE is a hard gelatin obtained from hides, tendons, cartilage, bones, or 

other parts of animals. 
Rule 1168 (Cont.) (Amended January 7, 2005) 

1168 - 4 

(31) GRAMS OF VOC PER LITER OF ADHESIVE OR SEALANT, LESS 

WATER AND LESS EXEMPT COMPOUNDS is the weight of VOC per 

combined volume of VOC and adhesive or sealant solids, and can be 

calculated by the following equation: 

Grams of VOC per Liter of Adhesive or Sealant, Less Water and Less 

Exempt Compounds = 

m w es

s w es

V - V - V

W W- WWhere: Ws = weight of volatile compounds, in grams 

 Ww = weight of water, in grams 

 Wes = weight of exempt compounds, in grams 

 Vm = volume of material, in liters 

 Vw = volume of water, in liters 

 Ves = volume of exempt compounds, in liters 

For adhesives or sealants that contain reactive diluents, the VOC content 

of the adhesive or sealant is determined after curing. The grams of VOC 

per liter of any adhesive or sealant, except a low solids adhesive or sealant 

shall be calculated by the following equation: 

Grams of VOC per Liter of Adhesive or Sealant, Less Water and Less 

Exempt Compounds = W - W - W

V - V - V

rs rw res

rm rw res

Where: Wrs = weight of volatile compounds not consumed during 

curing, in grams 

 Wrw = weight of water not consumed during curing, in 

grams 

 Wres = weight of exempt compounds not consumed during 

curing, in grams 

 Vm = volume of material prior to reaction, in liters 

 Vrw = volume of water not consumed during curing, in 

liters 

 Vres = volume of exempt compounds not consumed during 

curing, in liters 

(32) GRAMS OF VOC PER LITER OF MATERIAL is the weight of VOC per 

volume of material, to be used for a low-solids adhesive or sealant, and 

can be calculated by the following equation: 
Rule 1168 (Cont.) (Amended January 7, 2005) 

1168 - 5 

Grams of VOC per Liter of Material = W - W - W

V

s w es

m

Where: Ws = weight of volatile compounds, in grams 

 Ww = weight of water, in grams 

 Wes = weight of exempt compounds, in grams 

 Vm = volume of material, in liters 

(33) HAND APPLICATION METHODS is the application of adhesive or 

sealant by manually held equipment. Such equipment includes paint 

brush, hand roller, trowel, spatula, dauber, rag, sponges, and mechanicallyand/or pneumatic-driven syringes without atomization of the materials. 

(34) HIGH-VOLUME, LOW-PRESSURE (HVLP) SPRAY is equipment used 

to spray a coating by means of a gun that operates between 0.1 and 10 

pounds per square inch gauge (psig) air pressure. 

(35) INDOOR CARPET ADHESIVE is an adhesive used during the 

installation of a carpet that is in an enclosure and is not exposed to 

ambient weather conditions during normal use. 

(36) LIGHT CURABLE ADHESIVES and SEALANTS are single-component 

reactive adhesives and sealants that cure upon exposure to visible-light, 

ultra-violet light or to an electron beam. 

(37) LOW-SOLIDS ADHESIVE is an adhesive which has less than one pound 

of solids per gallon of material (or 120 grams of solids per liter of 

material). 

(38) LOW-SOLIDS ADHESIVE PRIMER is an adhesive primer which has 

less than one pound of solids per gallon of material (or 120 grams of solids 

per liter of material). 

(39) MARINE DECK SEALANT is any sealant to be applied to wooden 

marine decks. 

(40) MARINE DECK SEALANT PRIMER is any sealant primer to be applied 

to wooden marine decks. 

(41) MODIFIED BITUMINOUS PRIMER consist of bituminous materials, and 

a high flash solvent used to prepare a surface by (1) improving the 

adhesion and (2) absorbing dust from the surface for adhesive, or flashing 

cement bitumen membrane. 

(42) MODIFIED BITUMINOUS MATERIALS are materials obtained from 

natural deposit of asphalt or residues from the distillation of crude oil 
Rule 1168 (Cont.) (Amended January 7, 2005) 

1168 - 6 

petroleum or coal which consist mainly of hydrocarbons, and include, but 

are not limited to, asphalt, tar, pitch, and asphalt tile that are soluble in 

carbon disulfide. 

(43) MULTIPURPOSE CONSTRUCTION ADHESIVE is any adhesive to be 

used for the installation or repair of various construction materials, 

including but not limited to: drywall, subfloor, panel, fiberglass reinforced 

plastic (FRP), ceiling tile, and acoustical tile. 

(44) NONMEMBRANE ROOF ADHESIVE is any adhesive to be used for the 

installation or repair of nonmembrane roofs. This category includes 

plastic or asphalt roof cement, asphalt roof coatings, and cold application 

cement. 

(45) NONMEMBRANE ROOF SEALANT is any sealant to be used for 

installation or repair of nonmembrane roofs. This category includes 

plastic or asphalt roof cement, asphalt roof coatings, and cold application 

cement. 

(46) ORTHOTICS AND PROSTHETICS are medical devices designed and 

fabricated to address human neuromuscular and structural skeletal 

problems in order to activate, supplement, or replace weakened, atrophied, 

or missing limbs. 

(47) OUTDOOR CARPET ADHESIVE is an adhesive used during the 

installation of carpet that is not in an enclosure and is exposed to ambient 

weather conditions during normal use. 

(48) PANEL ADHESIVE is an adhesive used for the installation of plywood, 

pre-decorated hardboard (or tileboard), fiberglass reinforced plastic, and 

similar pre-decorated or non-decorated panels to studs or solid surfaces. 

(49) PERCENT VOC BY WEIGHT is the ratio of the weight of the VOC to the 

weight of the material, expressed as a percentage of VOC by weight. The 

percent VOC by weight can be calculated as follows:

Where: Wv = weight of the VOCs, in grams 

 W = weight of material, in grams 

(50) PERSON is any individual, firm, association, organization, partnership, 

business, trust, corporation, company, contractor, supplier, installer, user 

100

W

W % VOC weight v

= ×
Rule 1168 (Cont.) (Amended January 7, 2005) 

1168 - 7 

or owner, or any state or local governmental agency or public district or 

any other officer or employee thereof. Person also means the United 

States or its agencies to the extent authorized by Federal law. 

(51) PLASTIC CEMENT WELDING is the use of adhesives made of resins 

and solvents which are used to dissolve the surfaces of plastic, except 

ABS, CPVC, and PVC plastic, to form a bond between mating surfaces. 

(52) PLASTIC FOAM is a foam constructed of plastics. 

(53) PLASTICS are synthetic materials chemically formed by the 

polymerization of organic (carbon-based) substances. Plastics are usually 

compounded with modifiers, extenders, and/or reinforcers. They are used 

to produce pipe, solid sheet, film, or bulk products. 

(54) POLYCARBONATE is a thermoplastic resin derived from bisphenol A 

and phosgene, a linear polyester of carbonic acid, dihydroxy compound 

and any carbonate diester, or by ester interchange.

(55) POLYETHYLENE TEREPHALATE is a thermoplastic polyester formed 

from ethylene glycol by direct esterification or by catalyzed ester exchange 

between ethylene glycol and dimethyl terephalate. 

(56) POLYETHYLENE TEREPHALATE GLYCOL (PETG) is a glycol 

modified polyethylene terephalate. 

(57) POLYURETHANE FOAMS are plastic foams, as defined in 

"Whittington's Dictionary of Plastics," page 329, and may be either rigid or 

flexible. 

(58) POLYVINYL CHLORIDE (PVC) plastic is a polymer of the chlorinated 

vinyl monomer that contains 57 percent chlorine. 

(59) POROUS MATERIAL is a substance which has tiny openings, often 

microscopic, in which fluids may be absorbed or discharged. Such 

materials include, but are not limited to, wood, fabric, paper, corrugated 

paperboard, and plastic foam. 

(60) PRIMER is a material applied to a substrate to improve adhesion of 

subsequently applied adhesive. 

(61) PROPELLANT is a fluid under pressure which expels the contents of a 

container when a valve is opened. 

(62) REACTIVE DILUENT is a liquid which is a VOC during application and 

one in which, through chemical and/or physical reactions, such as 

polymerization, 20 percent or more of the VOC becomes an integral part 

of a finished material. 
Rule 1168 (Cont.) (Amended January 7, 2005) 

1168 - 8 

(63) ROADWAY SEALANT is any sealant to be applied to public streets, 

highways, and other surfaces, including but not limited to curbs, berms, 

driveways, and parking lots. 

(64) ROLL COATER is a series of mechanical rollers that form a thin coating 

or adhesive film on the surface roller, which is applied to a substrate by 

moving the substrate underneath the roller. 

(65) RUBBER FLOORING ADHESIVE is an adhesive that is used for the 

installation of flooring material in which both the back and the top surface 

are made of synthetic rubber, and which may be in sheet or tile form. 

(66) RUBBER FOAM is a foam constructed of natural or synthetic rubber. 

(67) SEALANT is any material with adhesive properties that is formulated 

primarily to fill, seal, or waterproof gaps or joints between two surfaces. 

Sealants include sealant primers and caulks. 

(68) SEALANT PRIMER is any product applied to a substrate, prior to the 

application of a sealant, to enhance the bonding surface. 

(69) SHOE REPAIR, LUGGAGE AND HANDBAG ADHESIVE is an 

adhesive used to repair worn, torn or otherwise damaged uppers, soles, and 

heels of shoes, or for making repairs to luggage and handbags. 

(70) SHEET-APPLIED RUBBER LINING OPERATION is the hand 

application of sheet rubber lining to metal or plastic substrates in order to 

protect the underlying substrate from corrosion or abrasion. These 

operations also include laminating sheet rubber to fabric. 

(71) SINGLE-PLY ROOF MEMBRANE ADHESIVE is any adhesive sealant 

to be used for the installation or repair of single-ply roof membrane. 

Installation includes, but is not limited to attaching the edge of the 

membrane to the edge of the roof and applying flashings to vents, pipes, or 

ducts that protrude through the membrane. 

(72) SINGLE-PLY ROOF MEMBRANE SEALANT is any sealant to be used 

for the installation or repair of single-ply roof membrane to the edge of the 

roof and applying flashings to vents, pipes, or ducts that protrude through 

the membrane. 

(73) SOLVENT WELDING is the softening of the surfaces of two substrates 

by wetting them with solvents and/or adhesives, and joining them together 

through a chemical and/or physical reaction(s) to form a fused union. 

(74) SPACE VEHICLE is a vehicle designed to travel beyond Earth's 

atmosphere. 
Rule 1168 (Cont.) (Amended January 7, 2005) 

1168 - 9 

(75) SPECIAL PURPOSE CONTACT ADHESIVE is a contact adhesive that 

is used to bond all of the following substrates to any surface: melamine 

covered board, metal, unsupported vinyl, Teflon, ultra-high molecular 

weight polyethylene, rubber and wood veneer 1/16 inch or less in 

thickness. 

(76) STRUCTURAL GLAZING ADHESIVE is any adhesive to be used to 

adhere glass, ceramic, metal, stone, or composite panels to exterior 

building frames. 

(77) STRUCTURAL WOOD MEMBER ADHESIVE is an adhesive used for 

the construction of any load bearing joints in wooden joists, trusses, or 

beams. 

(78) SUBFLOOR ADHESIVE is an adhesive used for the installation of 

subflooring material over floor joists. 

(79) THIN METAL LAMINATING is a process of bonding multiple layers of 

metal to metal or metal to plastic in the production of electronic or 

magnetic components in which the thickness of the bond line(s) is less 

than 0.25 mil. 

(80) TIRE REPAIR is the expanding of a hole, tear, fissure, or blemish in a tire 

casing by grinding or gouging, applying adhesive, and filling the hole or 

crevice with rubber. 

(81) TIRE RETREAD ADHESIVE is any adhesive to be applied to the back of 

precured tread rubber and to the casing and cushion rubber, or to be used 

to seal buffed tire casings to prevent oxidation while the tire is being 

prepared for a new tread. 

(82) TOP AND TRIM ADHESIVE is an adhesive used during the installation 

of automotive and marine trim, including, but not limited to, headliners, 

vinyl tops, vinyl trim, sunroofs, dash covering, door covering, floor 

covering, panel covering and upholstery. 

(83) TRAFFIC MARKING TAPE is preformed reflective to be applied to 

public streets, highways, and other surfaces, including but not limited to 

curbs, berms, driveways, and parking lots. 

(84) TRAFFIC MARKING TAPE ADHESIVE PRIMER is any adhesive 

primer to be applied to surfaces prior to installation of traffic marking 

tape. 
Rule 1168 (Cont.) (Amended January 7, 2005) 

1168 - 10 

(85) TRANSFER EFFICIENCY is the ratio of the weight or volume of coating 

solids adhering to an object to the total weight or volume, respectively, of 

coating solids used in the application process, expressed as a percentage. 

(86) VCT means vinyl composition tile and is a material made from 

thermoplastic resins, fillers and pigments. 

(87) VISCOSITY is the internal friction of a liquid that makes it resistant to 

flow. 

(88) VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUND (VOC) is as defined in Rule 102 - 

Definition of Terms. 

(89) WOOD FLOORING ADHESIVE is an adhesive used to install a wood 

floor surface, which may be in the form of parquet tiles, wood planks, or 

strip-wood. 

(90) WOOD PARQUET FLOORING is wood flooring in tile form constructed 

of smaller pieces of wood which are joined together in a pattern by the 

maker to form the tile. 

(91) WOOD PLANK FLOORING is solid or laminated wood in plank form. 

(c) Requirements 

(1) Unless otherwise specified in paragraph (c)(2), a person shall not apply 

any adhesives, adhesive bonding primers, adhesive primers, or any other 

primer, which have a VOC content in excess of 250 g/L less water and less 

exempt compounds. 

(2) A person shall not apply adhesives, adhesive bonding primers, adhesive 

primers, sealants, sealant primers, or any other primer, which have a VOC 

content in excess of the limits specified below: 

VOC Limit*, Less Water and Less Exempt Compounds in Grams per Liter 

Architectural Applications Current VOC

Limit 

Indoor Carpet Adhesives 50 

Carpet Pad Adhesives 50 

Outdoor Carpet Adhesives 150 

Wood Flooring Adhesive 100 

Rubber Floor Adhesives 60 

Subfloor Adhesives 50 

Ceramic Tile Adhesives 65 

VCT and Asphalt Tile Adhesives 50 

Dry Wall and Panel Adhesives 50 
Rule 1168 (Cont.) (Amended January 7, 2005) 

1168 - 11 

Architectural Applications Current VOC

Limit 

Cove Base Adhesives 50 

Multipurpose Construction Adhesives 70 

Structural Glazing Adhesives 100 

Single Ply Roof Membrane Adhesives 250 

Specialty Applications VOC Limits and Effective Dates** 

Current 

VOC Limit 1-1-05 7-1-05 1-1-07 

PVC Welding 510 

CPVC Welding 490 

ABS Welding 400 325 

Plastic Cement Welding 350 250 

Adhesive Primer for Plastic 650 550 

Computer Diskette 

Manufacturing 

350 

Contact Adhesive 80 

Special Purpose Contact 

Adhesive 

250 

Tire Retread 100 

Adhesive Primer for Traffic 

Marking Tape 

150 

Structural Wood Member 

Adhesive 

140 

Sheet Applied Rubber 

Lining Operations 

850 

Top and Trim Adhesive 540 250 

** The specified limits remain in effect unless revised limits are listed in subsequent 

columns. 

For adhesives, adhesive bonding primers, or any other primer not regulated 

by the above two tables and applied to the following substrates, the 

following limits shall apply: 

Substrate Specific Applications Current VOC 

Limit 

Metal to Metal 30 

Plastic Foams 50 

Porous Material (except wood) 50 

Wood 30 

Fiberglass 80 
Rule 1168 (Cont.) (Amended January 7, 2005) 

1168 - 12 

If an adhesive is used to bond dissimilar substrates together the adhesive 

with the highest VOC content shall be allowed. 

Sealants Current VOC Limit

Architectural 250 

Marine Deck 760 

Nonmembrane Roof 300 

Roadway 250 

Single-Ply Roof Membrane 450 

Other 420 

Sealant Primers Current VOC Limit 

Architectural 

Non Porous 

Porous 

250 

775 

Modified Bituminous 500 

Marine Deck 760 

Other 750 

* For low-solid adhesives or sealants the VOC limit is expressed in grams per liter of 

material as determined in paragraph (b)(32); for all other adhesives and sealants, VOC 

limits are expressed as grams of VOC per liter of adhesive or sealant less water and less 

exempt compounds as determined in paragraph (b)(31). 

(3) Containers used to dispose of VOC-laden cloth or paper used in stripping 

cured adhesives or sealants shall be closed except when depositing or 

removing VOC-laden cloth or paper from the container. 

(4) Solvent Cleaning Operations; storage and disposal of VOC-containing 

materials shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of Rule 

1171 - Solvent Cleaning Operations. 

(5) Transfer Efficiency 

A person shall not apply adhesives or sealants unless the adhesive or 

sealant is applied with properly operating equipment in accordance with 

operating procedures specified by either the equipment manufacturer or 

the Executive Officer. Application of adhesives or sealants shall be 

accomplished only by the use of one of the following methods: 

(A) Electrostatic application; or 

(B) Flow coat; or 
Rule 1168 (Cont.) (Amended January 7, 2005) 

1168 - 13 

(C) Dip coat; or 

(D) Roll coater; or 

(E) High-Volume, Low-Pressure (HVLP) spray; or 

(F) Hand application methods; or 

(G) Such other adhesive or sealant application methods as are 

demonstrated to the Executive Officer to be capable of achieving at 

least 65 percent transfer efficiency and for which prior written 

approval of the Executive Officer has been obtained; or 

(H) For adhesives and sealants with a viscosity of 200 centipoise or 

greater, as applied, airless spray, air-assisted airless, and airatomized spray may also be used. 

(6) A person may comply with the provisions of paragraphs (c)(1), (c)(2), or 

(c)(5), or all three, by using approved air pollution control equipment, 

provided that the VOC emissions from such operations and/or materials 

are reduced by at least 80 percent overall, by weight. 

(7) A person may comply with the provisions of paragraph (c)(1) and 

paragraph (c)(2) by means of an Alternative Emission Control Plan 

pursuant to Rule 108. 

(8) If anywhere on the container of any adhesive or sealant, on any sticker or 

label affixed thereto, or in any sales or advertising literature, any 

representation is made that the adhesive or sealant may be used for any 

another source specific rule application, for which there is a lower VOC 

standard, then the lowest VOC standard shall apply.

(9) The VOC content of adhesives and sealants that are applied with the use of 

refillable pressurized containers are subject to the VOC limits of this rule. 

(d) Recordkeeping Requirements 

Notwithstanding provisions of subdivision (i), records shall be maintained 

pursuant to Rule 109. 

(e) Methods of Analysis 

(1) The VOC content of cleaning materials and adhesives or sealants shall be 

determined by using USEPA Reference Method 24 (Determination of 

Volatile matter Content, Water Content, Density Volume Solids, and 

Weight Solids of Surface Coating, Code of Federal Regulations Title 40, 

Appendix A, utilizing Procedure B of ASTM Method D2369), or the 

SCAQMD Method 304. 
Rule 1168 (Cont.) (Amended January 7, 2005) 

1168 - 14 

(2) The exempt compound's content shall be determined by Methods 302 and 

303 in the South Coast Air Quality Management District's (SCAQMD) 

"Laboratory Methods of Analysis for Enforcement Samples" or ASTM 

Method D4457-85. 

(3) The VOC content of PVC, CPVC, and ABS pipe cements, adhesive 

primer for plastic shall be determined by Method 316A in the South Coast 

Air Quality Management District's (SCAQMD) "Laboratory Methods of 

Analysis for Enforcement Samples." 

(4) The VOC content of cyanoacrylate adhesives shall be determined by 

Method 316B in the South Coast Air Quality Management District's 

(SCAQMD) " Laboratory Methods of Analysis for Enforcement Samples." 

(f) Test Methods 

(1) The efficiency of the control device and the VOC content measured and 

calculated as carbon in the control device exhaust gases shall be 

determined by USEPA'S Test Method 18, or Air Resources Board (ARB) 

Method 422 for the determination of emissions of Exempt Compounds 

and USEPA's Test Methods 25, 25A, SCAQMD's Method 25.1, or 

SCAQMD Test Method 25.3. (Determination of Total Gaseous NonMethane Organic Emissions as Carbon) for the determination of total 

organic compound emissions. Emissions determined to exceed any limits 

established by this rule through the use of any of the above-referenced test 

methods shall constitute a violation of the rule. 

(2) Viscosity will be determined by ASTM D 1084-88.

(3) The following classes of compounds: cyclic, branched, or linear, 

completely fluorinated alkanes; cyclic, branched, or linear, completely 

fluorinated ethers with no unsaturations; cyclic, branched, or linear, 

completely fluorinated tertiary amines with no unsaturations; and sulfurcontaining perfluorocarbons with no unsaturations and with sulfur bonds 

only to carbon and fluorine, will be analyzed as exempt compounds for 

compliance with subdivision (c), only at such time as manufacturers 

specify which individual compounds are used in the coating formulations 

and identify the test methods, which, prior to such analysis, have been 

approved by the USEPA and the SCAQMD, that can be used to quantify 

the amounts of each exempt compound. 
Rule 1168 (Cont.) (Amended January 7, 2005) 

1168 - 15 

(g) Prohibition of Specifications 

(1) A person shall not solicit or require any other person to use, in the District, 

any adhesives or sealants or combination of adhesives or sealants in 

violation of the requirements of this rule. 

(2) The requirements of this paragraph shall apply to all written or oral 

agreements executed or entered into after July 1, 1989. 

(h) Prohibition of Sales and Use 

(1) On and after September 1, 2001, except as provided in subdivision (j), 

paragraphs (c)(6) and (c)(7), no person shall use, supply, sell, or offer for 

sale an adhesive, sealant, or adhesive or sealant primer for use in the 

District that at the time of sale exceeds the applicable VOC limits 

specified in paragraphs (c)(1) and (c)(2). 

(2) On and after January 1, 2004, no person shall use, supply, sell, or offer for 

sale an adhesive, sealant, or adhesive or sealant primer for use in the 

District that contains chloroform, ethylene dichloride, methylene chloride, 

perchloroethylene, and trichloroethylene. 

(3) The prohibition of sales and use as specified in paragraphs (h)(1) and 

(h)(2) shall not apply to the following: 

(A) Adhesives and sealants shipped, supplied or sold to persons for use 

outside the District; 

(B) Any manufacturer of adhesives or sealants, provided that the 

manufacturer has complied with the labeling requirements of Rule 

443.1 – Labeling of Materials Containing Organic Solvents, and 

the product is not sold directly to a user located in the District, or 

the product was sold to an independent distributor or a sales outlet 

located in the District that is not a subsidiary of, or under the 

control of the manufacturer, and was informed in writing by the 

manufacturer about the compliance status of the product with Rule 

1168; 

(C) Adhesives and Sealants that contain less than one percent by 

weight of methylene chloride; or 

(D) Solvent welding formulations containing methylene chloride used 

to bond hard acrylic, polycarbonate, and polyethylene terephalate 

glycol plastic fabrications, provided: 
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1168 - 16 

(i) The concentration of methylene chloride in any solvent 

welding formulation does not exceed 60 percent by weight; 

and 

(ii) The purchase of all solvents welding products does not 

exceed 20 gallons per calendar year at a single facility, as 

demonstrated by purchase records and invoices of 

methylene chloride containing solvent welding 

formulations. Such records shall be made available to the 

Executive Officer or his representative upon request. 

(i) Rule 442 Applicability 

Any adhesive, sealant, adhesive or sealant application, operation, or person, which 

is exempt from all or a portion of this rule, shall comply with the provisions of 

Rule 442. 

(j) Exemptions 

(1) The provisions of paragraph (c)(1) and paragraph (c)(2) shall not apply to 

the following: 

(A) Adhesives used in tire repair; or 

(B) Adhesives and/or adhesive application processes in compliance 

with Rules 1104, 1106, 1128, 1130 and 1130.1. 

(2) The provisions of this rule shall not apply to aerospace components that 

are subject to Rule 1124. 

(3) The provisions of paragraph (c)(5) and subdivision (d) shall not be applied 

to the application of adhesives or sealants that contain less than 20 g/L of 

VOC per liter of adhesives, less water and less exempt compounds. 

(4) The provisions of this rule shall not apply to any facility that uses less than 

one pint of total adhesives and sealants in any one day so long as the 

products were purchased prior to September 15, 2000. 

(5) The provisions of subdivision (c) shall not apply to research and 

development programs and quality assurance labs, provided that: 

(A) A record is kept of: 

(i) The date when the adhesives and sealants are used, and the 

type of application(s); and 

(ii) The amount of adhesives and sealants used and the VOC 

content of such adhesives and sealants; and 
Rule 1168 (Cont.) (Amended January 7, 2005) 

1168 - 17 

(iii) The amount of solvents used and VOC content of such 

solvents; and 

(iv) The manufacturer/suppliers identification and type of 

material; and 

(B) Such records shall be retained in accordance with the provisions of 

subdivision (e) of this rule. 

(6) The provisions of paragraph (c)(1) and paragraph (c)(2) shall not apply to 

a facility that demonstrates that the total volume of non-compliant 

adhesives, adhesive primers, adhesive bonding primers, sealants, and 

sealant primers is less than 55 gallons per facility per rolling 12-month 

period. On and after September 1, 2001, a facility may not use this 

paragraph to exclude non-compliant adhesives used in architectural 

applications, contact adhesives, special purpose contact adhesives, and 

adhesives used on porous substrates. 

(7) The provisions of this rule, except paragraph (h)(2), shall not apply to 

adhesives used to glue flowers to parade floats. 

(8) The provisions of subdivision (c) shall not apply to solvent welding 

operations used in the manufacturing of medical devices. 

(9) The provisions of this rule shall not apply to aerosol adhesives and primers 

dispensed from aerosol spray cans. 

(10) The provisions of paragraph (c)(1) and paragraph (c)(2) shall not apply to 

any adhesive used exclusively for thin metal laminating operations, 

provided that the adhesive contains less than 780 grams of VOC per liter 

of adhesive, less water and less exempt compounds, as applied, and the 

facility uses a total of three gallons per day or less of these adhesives. 

(11) The provisions of this rule, except paragraph (h)(2) and subdivision (d), 

shall not apply to light curable adhesives and sealants with a VOC content 

no more than 50 grams per liter, less water and less exempt compounds. 

(12) The provisions of this rule, except paragraph (h)(2), shall not apply to the 

use of cyanoacrylate adhesives. 

(13) The provisions of this rule shall not apply to adhesives and sealants subject 

to the California Air Resources Board consumer products regulation found 

in Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations, beginning at Section 

94507. 

(14) Until October 1, 2003, the provisions of paragraph (c)(1) and paragraph 

(c)(2) shall not apply to solvent welding of flexible ductwork, at which 
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1168 - 18 

time the VOC limit shall be 250 grams per liter, less water and less exempt 

compounds. 

(15) A person may sell or apply a non-complying VOC-containing or 

methylene chloride-containing product for one year after the applicable 

effective date in paragraph (c)(2) for VOC-containing adhesives and 

sealants, and for one year after the applicable effective date of paragraph 

(h)(2) or subparagraph (h)(3)(D) for methylene chloride-containing 

adhesives and sealants, provided: 

(A) The product complies with the previous applicable VOC limit, 

(B) The product was manufactured prior to the effective date, and 

(C) The date of manufacture or a code indicating that date is clearly 

displayed on the product. 

(16) The provisions of this rule, except paragraph (h)(2), shall not apply to 

adhesives used to fabricate orthotics and prosthetics under a medical 

doctor’s prescription. 

(17) The provisions of this rule, except paragraph (h)(2), shall not apply to shoe 

repair, luggage and handbag adhesives.