News Briefs Extra
EPA Formally Proposes VOC Rule For Refinish Coatings
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) formally proposed its "National Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Emission Standards for Automobile Refinish Coatings" rule on April 19. The rule would effectively phase out the U.S. sale of automotive refinish coatings with high VOC content. The proposal sets forth a comment period ending July 1, but does not specify when the rule will be made final.The proposed rule sets VOC limits per coating category that manufacturers’ products must meet. The rule would not apply to coatings produced before the compliance date of the rule (four months after the rule is final), coatings manufactured for export, coatings for carmaker assembly-line operations, or coatings in non-refillable aerosol containers. Medium-solid refinish coatings already on the market are expected to comply with the rule. The rule would not supersede more stringent state or local rules.
The EPA estimates the rule will reduce VOC emissions by 36,000 tons annually. VOCs contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone.
The proposal does not contain any "point-of-sale" restrictions on the purchasing of refinish products. The Automotive Service Association (ASA) has advocated greater control of refinish products at the point of sale to ensure those buying the products can properly use and dispose of them.
Universal Underwriters Course Receives ASAMI Approval
The Automotive Service Association Management Institute (ASAMI) has announced the approval of Universal Underwriter’s seminar, "How to Purchase Business Insurance." The industry-specific management seminar was developed by the Automotive Specialty Markets division of Universal Underwriters Group. The course instructor, Gerald Cecil, CPCU, director of market development, offers 17 years of insurance industry experience, with 11 years related directly to the automotive marketplace. The two-hour course awards attendees four credits toward the 120 needed to earn the ASAMI’s Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM) designation.EPA Fines Hit $160 Million Mark
Automotive and equipment maintenance and refueling operations and related industries faced more than $160 million in fines and penalties in more than 100 federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enforcement actions in the past three years, according to a study released by the Environmental Development Corporation (EDC). For information about the 25-page report, which covers actions against automotive service, truck maintenance and other transportation operations, call EDC at (419) 422-1200.Sherwin-Williams Offers Safety Program
The new PAINT-SAFE Products Safety and OSHA Compliance Program from Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes gives shop owners a variety of training tools to guide shops through numerous regulatory rules affecting the collision repair industry. The program includes a compliance kit that explains relevant Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issues; a safety and OSHA compliance catalog with safety equipment and compliance tools; and a questionnaire to diagnose the most common weaknesses in a shop’s OSHA compliance and safety program. The program is part of The Sherwin-Williams Advantage Programs, but is available to all collision shops.ASA Main Page || AutoInc. Main Page
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Guest Editorial || The Changing Parts Market -- And How It Affects Shop Owners
Collision Estimating Times: Are They Shrinking? || Have You Heard About OBD III?
AutoInc. Magazine ®, Vol. XLIV No. 5, May 1996