ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD

June 13, 1974

HOMAK MANUFACTURING COMPANY, INC.,

Petitioner,

v.

)

PCB 74—130

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY,

Respondent.

OPINION AND ORDER OF THE BOARD (by Dr. Odell)

On April 4, 1974, Petitioner filed its request for a variance

from Rule 205(f) of Chapter Two, Illinois Air Pollution Regulations.

The Homak Manufacturing Company, Inc., located at 4433 South

Springfield Avenue in Chicago, manufactures metal tool boxes and

metal cabinets. Sheet metal is sheared to appropriate sizes, punched

or notched as required, formed, and spot—welded into various units.

Then the units are painted in three spray booths and cured in one of

two gas—fired ovens. After curing, hardware is attached to the units

and they are packaged.

Petitioner requests this variance from Rule 205(f) until April 1,

1975, for its dry paint booth (two spray booths equipped with water-

wall curtains are not included) and two curing ovens. Petitioner

estimates that these sources emit 9.7, 21.0, and 9.9 lbs/hr,

respectively, of photochemically reactive hydrocarbons, which are in

excess of the 8 lbs/hr limitation of Rule 205(f). In order to achieve

compliance with this Rule, Petitioner plans to reformulate its paints,

so that they will contain non-photochemi~a1lyreacti~e solvents

only. Petitioner alleges that its paint suppliers “pannot forsee an

availability of the required exempt solvents until the end of 1974

and even then they cannot assure any deliveries.”

The Environmental Protection Agency (Agency) fijed its Recommenda-

tion on May 16, 1974. During the Agency inspector’s visit on March 19,

1974, Petitioner’s representatives acknowledged that the average

emission of photochemically reactive organic material was 40 lbs. per

hour from each of two paint lines. “Paint formulae incorporating

non-photochemically reactive solvents have been formulated to meet

Petitioner’s requirements. However, the solvents necessary to make

up the new formulae are not available because of the shortage of

petroleum derivative products. Petitioner’s facility is located in

an area which contains both residences and industries. There are no

citizen complaints about the facility.” The Agency recommended that

this Variance be granted subject to certain conditions with which

the Board agrees.

12—531

---

—2—

We grant the Variance. Petitioner’s problem in obtaining

exempt solvents is prevalent in the industry. The hardship is

not self-imposed. The Federal Energy office has established mandatory

allocation of petrochemical feedstocks to petrochemical producers——

including solvent manufacturers——in a quantity equal to 100 percent

of the producer’s current requirements (Fed. Reg. Vol. 39, No. 10,

Part III, Subpart 2llJ, January 15, 1974). Petitioner should utilize

such exempt solvents as they become available.

ORDER

Petitioner is hereby granted a Variance from Rule 205(f) for

its dry paint booth and two curing ovens until April 1, 1975, subject

to the following conditions:

1. Petitioner shall utilize as much exempt solvent formula-

tions as can be furnished by its suppliers.

2. Beginning 30 days after the date of this Order, Petitioner

shall submit monthly reports to:

Environmental Protection Agency

Division of Air Pollution Control

Control Program Coordinator

2200 Churchill Road

Springfield, Illinois 62706

The monthly reports shall include information on:

Total amount of solvents used,

Nature and amount of non—exempt solvents used,

Nature and amount of exempt solvents used,

Amount and nature of non—exempt solvents purchased

(list supplier)

Amount and nature of exempt solvents purchased

(list supplier), and

Amount and nature of non—exempt and exempt solvents

inventory at the beginning of each month.

3. Within six (6) months of the date of this Order, Petition~r

shall submit to the Environmental Protection Agency a

modified compliance plan to replace that which has been

---

—3—

nullified by shortages. This plan shall achieve

compliance under one of the following methods:

a. Achieve compliance at the expiration of the

Variance by replacement of photochemically

reactive solvents with non—reactive solvents

demonstrated to be readily available; or

b. Achieve compliance at the expiration of the

Variance by qualification under the Alternative

Standard of Rule 205(f) (1); or

c. Achieve compliance by May 30, 1975, under the

provisions of Rule 205(f) (2) CD)

IT IS SO ORDERED.

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

Board, hereby certify that the above Order was adopted on the

JJ~l~.dayof

_________,

1974, by a vote of

g

to ~

Christan L. Moff tt4 Clerk

12—533