ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL

BOARD

January

23,

1975

SHERWIN WILLIANSCOMPANY,

Petitioner,

vs.

)

PCB 74—408

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY,

Respondent.

OPINION AND ORDER OF THE BOARD

(by Mr.

Henss):

In PCB 74-212 Petitioner Sherwin Williams was granted variance

from Rule 205(f)

of the Air Pollution Control Regulations until

November

1,

1974 due to

a shortage of nonphotochemically reactive

organic solvents.

Sherwin Williams now requests extension of this

variance until May 30,

1975.

Petitioner owns and operates a facility in Elgin, Illinois for

the manufacture and coating of metal containers.

Operations

at this

facility include metal

forming, coating and lithography.

During

the initial proceeding Petitioner discussed alternatives

to non-

photochemically reactive solvents.

Possibilities included the use

of water based and/or ultraviolet varnishes, both of which were

still in the experimental stage.

Petitioner~sefforts to develop

these alternatives were also described in that proceeding.

Petitioner

states that the request for extension of variance involves the

same equipment,

the same emissions and the same Regulation as the

initial Petition for Variance.

In view of the available information

and the absence of any objection,

the prior record was incorporated

as part of this record and no hearing was held on the issues.

During the term

of the prior variance Petitioner increased

its use of exempt coatings from 77.5

to 98,

This was achieved

by ~witching

to water based coatings or reformulation of the

coatings with exempt solvents.

Despite this achievement Petitioner

has a problem because of the 2

organic solvent use in the litho-

graphy operation.

During lithography operations a container receives an interior

coating on Line

1,

a background exterior coating on Line

2 and

15—

329

---

—2-

printing and varnishing on Lines

3 and

4.

Organic emissions

from the lithography operation are vented to the atmosphere

through four stacks located near the four production lines.

During trial runs on the ultraviolet finishing lines a

heat sink required for the curing process unexpectedly warped.

Repairs have now been made and new trials are scheduled.

Petitioner

states

that, after the production problems are solved, additional

time will be required to perform tests

to determine product

acceptability.

The water base coatings have also caused some minor problems

at this facility.

Certain inks used in the lithography operation

have been found to be incompatible with the water base coatings

furnished by the coating suppliers.

Initial production tests using reformulated coatings indicate

that Sherwin Williams has solved most of the production problems.

The only reformulated coating that has failed to perform in a

satisfactory manner

is

a finishing varnish that will not

adhere

~tothe container surface after the printing operation.

Efforts will be made to develop a satisfactory reformulated

finishing varnish but Sherwin Williams will be unable to comply

with Rule 205(f) pending such development.

Nonexempt coatings

are used as infrequently as three or four times a year, but each

time they are used 53.8 lbs./hr. of organic solvents are emitted

as opposed to the allowable rate of

8 lbs./hr,

This plant is located in an agricultural area.

Two farm houses

are located near the plant but no complaints or objections have

been received from the residents.

The Agency approves of

Petitioner’s achievements and good faith efforts and believe

that denial of the variance extension would be arbitrary and

unreasonable.

The EPA recommends extension of the variance

subject to certain conditions.

Sherwin Williams has made considerable advancement toward

achieving compliance.

Were it not for the problem with the

finishing varnish and the warping of a heat sink it is quite

possible Petitioner could have achieved compliance within the

time allowed by the original variance.

The record clearly

supports the granting of this request in light of Petitioner’s

good faith efforts and the minimal adverse effects such variance

will cause upon the environment.

The variance will be granted.

15

—

330

---

—3--

ORDER

It is the Order of the Pollution Control Board that Sherwin

Williams Company

is granted a variance from Rule 205(f)

of the

Air Pollution Control Regulations for its Elgin plant until

May

30, 1975 or until such earlier date that a satisfactory

alternative finishing varnish can be developed, tested and approved.

This variance is subject to the following conditions:

1.

Sherwin Williams shall utilize as much exempt

reformulated water based coating as can be

furnished by its suppliers.

2.

Sherwin Williams shall diligently pursue the

production application of the ultraviolet curing

technology.

3.

Petitioner shall apply for all necessary con-

struction and operating permits.

4.

Commencing February 15, 1975 Sherwin Williams

shall submit monthly progress reports to the

Environmental Protection Agency.

Said progress

reports shall detail progress with the new

ultraviolet curing technology and shall include

the total amount of solvents used,

the nature and

amount of nonexempt solvents,

the nature and

amount of exempt solvents used,

the nature and

amount of wate based coatings used,

the nature

and amount of exempt solvents purchased

(indicating

the supplier),

the amount and nature of solvents

and coatings in inventory at the beginning of each

month.

I, Christan L. Moffett, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control

Board, hereby certi

the above Opinion and Order was adopted

this

~

day ~

1975 by a vote of

,~

to ~

15—