The Illinois Pollution Control Board will conduct hearings on a proposal to amend the volatile organic material (VOM) rules to allow for the use of add-on controls as a compliance option for printing operations using cold cleaning solvent degreasing. On January 19, 2006, the Board accepted for hearing the rulemaking entitled In the Matter of: Organic Material Emission Standards and Limitations for the Chicago and Metro-East Areas: Proposed Amendments to 35 Ill. Code 218 and 219 (R06-21). The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) filed the proposal on December 22, 2005.

The IEPA is proposing to revise cold cleaning degreaser rules in the Chicago and Metro-East nonattainment areas by making parallel changes to 35 Ill. Adm. Code 218.182(c) and (d) and 219.182(c) and (d). The IEPA proposes revisions to allow for the sale or purchase of solvents with vapor pressure greater than 1.0mmHg in units greater than five gallons to or by sources that have valid permits, are in compliance with the add-on control requirements, or are exempt. The IEPA is also proposing control requirements to allow for the option of add-on controls. Subsections are being created that will require sources using solvents with vapor pressures greater than 1.0mmHg to control their emissions to an overall capture and control efficiency of no less than 95 percent.

The IEPA also proposes provisions that allow for equivalent alternative emissions plans stipulating that emissions from a solvent with a vapor pressure of 1.0 mmHg will be the basis for assessment of equivalent emissions for any proposed control plan and that the equivalent alternative control plans must have at least 95 percent reduction in VOM emissions. Provisions have been added mandating the testing of add-on controls. Currently, operating add-on controls must be tested by March 1, 2006, and newly constructed add-on controls must be tested within 90 days after startup. The testing procedures, monitoring, and recordkeeping provisions for add-on controls and equivalent alternative control plans will be consistent with the provisions in Section 218.105 and Section 219.105, which require that the control devices be operated and maintained at the manufacturer’s specifications and continuously monitored to assure operation at the required compliance levels. All records must be kept for a minimum of three years.

Opinions and orders of the Board, hearing transcripts, and other documents in rulemaking records are posted on the Board’s Web site and may be downloaded from the Web without charge. Hard copies may be obtained for $.75 per page from the Clerk’s office at 312-814-3629, or by writing to the Clerk’s office:

For more information contact John Knittle at 217-278-3111 or email at knittlej@ipcb.state.il.us.

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