ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
March 14, 1974
GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, Refrigerator
Division, Petitioner,
v.
)
PCB 73—540
ILLINOIS ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY, Respondent
ORDER OF THE BOARD (by Dr. Odell)
On December 19, 1973, Petitioner General Electric
Company (GE) filed for a variance to operate its plant at
Cicero, Illinois, in excess of the applicable standards of
Rule 205(f) of the Illinois Air Pollution Regulations (Chapter
Two) effective December 31, 1973. Petitioner alleged that a
shortage of isobutyl acetate, an exempt solvent, made impossible
a December 31, 1973, compliance deadline. GE sought a variance
to use non-exempt solvents until October 1, 1974.
Petitioner operates a refrigera?or manufacturing plant.
Work at the Cicero facility includes application of paint to
refrigerator cases and doors in a process utilizing a prime
spray booth, an electrostatic spray booth, two reinforcing and
shade booths, and a cure oven. Photochemically reactive solvents
are emitted in each operation stage, but only at the electrostatic
spray booth do the limits exceed the 8 lbs/hour restriction
specified in Rule 205(f). The photochemically reactive organic
emissions in the electrostatic spray booth measure 21.94 lbs/hour
when non—exempt solvents are used.
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
recommended on February 8, 1974, that GE be granted a variance
subject to certain reporting, notification, and compliance
provisions. EPA supported Petitioner’s contention that it had
tried unsuccessfully to obtain the exempt solvent, isobutyl
acetate.
We grant Petitioner’s variance to enable it to develop an
alternative formula for exempt solvents. The shortage of isobutyl
acetate is not self—imposed. Furthermore, Petitioner has made a
good faith effort to find other methods to satisfy the Rule 205(f)
emissions restriction. It has investigated the use of an after-
burner, a carbon absorption process, and has now undertaken to
develop a paint formulation having less than 20 volumetric percent
—2—
organic material in accordance with Rule 205(f) (2) (D) of
Chapter Two.
The Federal Energy Office has established mandatory
allocation of petrochemical feedstocks to petrochemical producers
—
including solvent manufacturers
-
in a quantity equal to 100 per-
cent of the producers current requirements (Fed. Req. Vol. 39,
No. 10, Part III, subpart 2llJ, January 15, 1974). Petitioner
should utilize such exempt solvents as they become available.
ORDER
Petitioner is granted a variance from Rule 205(f) of
Chapter Two until September 15, 1974, subject to the following
conditions:
1. In the event that supplies of isobutyl acetate become
available, Petitioner must immediately begin using its process
incorporating it.
2. Petitioner shall submit monthly progress reports to
the EPA indicating progress made towards achieving a compliance
program pursuant to Paragraph 3 of this Order. Said progress
reports shall be submitted to:
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
Division of Air Pollution Control
Control Program Coordinator
2200 Churchill Road
Springfield, Illinois 62706
3. Within five months from the adoption of this Order,
Petitioner must submit to the EPA,a modified compliance plan to
replace that which has been nullified by shortages. This plan
may:
(a) Achieve compliance at the expiration of this
Variance by replacement of photochemically
reactive solvents with non—reactive solvents
demonstrated to be readily available; or
(b) Achieve compliance at the expiration of this
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) (D).
Said compliance plan shall be submitted to the same address that
is specified in Paragraph 2 of this Order.
IT IS SO ORDERED,
11 -~594
—3—
I, Christan L. Moffett, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control
Board, hereby certify that the above Opinion and Order was
ad~ted on the
/5j
~day of
/))i.lAa&~
,
1974, by a vote of
~ to p
OL