United States Environmental Protection Agency Air and Energy Engineering Research Laboratory Research Triangle Park, NC 27711 Research and Development EPA/600/SR-92/159 December 1992 EPA Project Summary Surface-coating-free Materials Workshop Summary Report C. M. Northeim, M.W. Moore, and J.IL Warren The report documents a pollution pre- vention workshop exploring the con- cept of surface-coating-free materials (SCFMs), the potential impact of this type of material on volatile organic corn- pound (VOC) and air toxic emissions from surface coating operations, and the means for promoting the SCFM ethic. The purpose of the report is 1:o summarize and present the informa- tion as it was discussed at the work- shop. This Project Summary was developed by EPA's Air and Energy Engineering Research Laboratory, Research Tri- angle Park, NC, to announce key find- ings of the research project that is fully documented in a separate report of the same title (see Project Report ordering information at back). Introduction The national ambient air quality stan- dard for ozone (0.12 ppm) is exceeded in over 100 geographic areas throughout the U.S. Extensive reduction of volatile or- ganic compound (VOC) emissions is ro- quired for attainment. The difficulty of dealing with stationary area sources has been a major obstacle to attaining these reductions. Surface coating operations release ap- proximately 15 % of stationary area VOC emissions as estimated by the 1985 Na- tional Acid Precipitation Assessment Pro- gram (NAPAP) emissions inventor/. Emissions occur during initial coating, as well as each time that a surface is recoated during the life of the object or structure. If materials or products could be developed that do not need coating during either manufacture or use (SCFMs), it is antici- pated that VOC emissions could be re- duced. Many of the VOC and other emis- sions from surface coating operations are also air toxics with additional impacts on human health and the environment. The workshop consisted of two parts: technical paper presentations and brain- storming sessions. Technical papers were presented by representatives of varied in- dustries that currently use or are develop- ing SCFMs. The papers were grouped into five sessions: • Architectural Products, • Applications for Uncoated Metals, • Plastic Materials and Films, • Development of Materials for High Temperature Applications, and • Regulatory Perspective. The focus of the small group brainstorm- ing sessions was to discuss topics related to the use of SCFMs. A major objective of these sessions was to identify and de- velop pollution prevention research con- cepts and recommendations for consider- ation by EPA that could expand the use of SCFMs. The brainstorming session topics were: • Barriers to technology innovation and regulatory and economic incentives. The purpose of this session was to focus first on barriers to technology innovation and then on potential regu- lator/ and economic incentives that could break down these barriers and encourage the use of SCFMs. Major barriers that were identified at the workshop were: Printed on Recycled Paper ------- - High development costs, - New product uncertainty, - Regulatory uncertainty, - Corporate bureaucracies, - Technology transfer, - Environmental life-cycle costs, and - Military specifications. Regulatory and economic incentives that were discussed were: - Tax incentives, - User tax, - Enhanced regulatory environment, and - Improved communications, EPA public relations, and technology transfer. Methods for enhancing the appear- ance and marketability of SCFMs. This session focused on issues re- lated to developing SCFMs with ap- pearance and quality similar to tradi- tional materials requiring surface coat- ing. The key topics that emerged from the discussion groups were: - Life-time of product, - Quality of final product, - Differences among markets, - Appearance/marketability issues, '- Management issues, and - Regulatory environment. Potential pollution prevention re- search, development, and demonstra- tion projects* One of: 4he primary goals of this workshop was to identify potential research projects related to the use of SCFMs. In addition to C. M. Northeim, M. W. Moore andJ.L Warren are with Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 Michael Kosusko is the EPA Project Officer (see below). The complete report, entitled "Surface-coating-free Materials Workshop Summary Report," (Order No. PB93-101160/AS; Cost: $26.00; subject to change) will be available only from: National Technical Information Service 5285 Port Royal Road Springfield, VA 22161 Telephone: -703-487-4650 The EPA Project Officer can be contacted at: Air and Energy Engineering Research Laboratory U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park, NC 27711 the identification and potential use of SCFM research projects, a significant amount of time was spent discussing potential research projects related to low- and no-VOC coatings. Ail of these projects are listed in the full report. In conclusion, it was stated that, al- though a wide variety of materials are currently used uncoated, the concept of increasing and encouraging their use as a means for helping to reduce VOC emis- sions from surface coating operations is new. It was recommended that EPA con- tinue to advance the concept through the use of research and technology transfer. In conjunction with the further develop- ment of the concept of SCFMs, there needs to be an investigation of the life- cycle impacts of the use of specific mate- rials. Finally, it was noted by several of the workshop participants that coatings serve many very important functions and will continue to do so in the future. There- fore, it was recommend that EPA focus on the development and demonstration of low- and no-VOC coatings in addition to SCFMs. The workshop provided an opportunity for discussion of a new pollution preven- tion concept that could result in reduced VOC and air toxic emissions from coating operations. A wide variety of organiza- tions/industries were represented. This diversity resulted in a unique forum for the exchange of information and differing view- points. The full report summarizes the background, methodology used in plan- ning the workshop, discussions that took place in the brainstorming sessions, and recommendations from the workshop. Also included with the report are the technical papers presented as part of the work- shop. United States Environmental Protection Agency Center for Environmental Research Information Cincinnati, OH 45268 Official Business Penalty for Private Use $300 BULK RATE POSTAGE & FEES PAID EPA PERMIT No. G-35 EPA/600/SR-92/159 ------- |