FACT SHEET

Proposed New Source Performance Standards Review for
Surface Coating of Plastic Parts for Business Machines

ACTION

•	On June 1, 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed to update
the New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for Industrial Surface Coating of Plastic
Parts for Business Machines (40 CFR part 60, subpart TTT).

•	Following a review of the NSPS, EPA is proposing to:

o Establish volatile organic compound (VOC) emission limits, in a new
subpart TTTa, for application of coatings onto plastic parts for business
machines, at affected facilities that commence construction, reconstruction, or
modification after the date of publication of this proposal in the Federal Register;
o Require electronic submission of compliance reports;
o Eliminate startup, shutdown and malfunction exemptions for facilities and

require that the standards apply at all times; and
o Revise the definition of "business machine" by updating the list of example
business machine products.

•	EPA will accept comment on the proposed amendments for 45 days after publication in
the Federal Register.

NSPS REVIEW

•	Section 111 of the Clean Air Act requires EPA to review and revise, as necessary, the
NSPS at least every eight years.

•	EPA's review of the 1998 NSPS focused on whether there are any emission reduction
techniques that are used in practice that achieve greater emission reductions than those
currently required for the Surface Coating of Plastic Parts for Business Machines source
category, and whether any of these techniques have become the best system of
emission reduction.

•	EPA has determined that there are emission reduction techniques used in practice that
achieve greater emission reductions than those currently required by the current NSPS.
EPA is proposing these VOC emission reduction techniques in this action to help reduce
ambient concentrations of ground level ozone and increase compliance with the
National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ozone.

BACKGROUND

•	On January 29, 1988, EPA promulgated the NSPS for Industrial Surface Coating of Plastic
Parts for Business Machines (subpart III).

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•	These standards require all new, modified, and reconstructed facilities that surface coat
plastic parts for business machines to control emissions of volatile organic compounds
(VOC) to the level achievable by the best demonstrated system of continuous emission
reduction, considering costs, health, and environmental and energy impacts.

•	Because of their potential to generate VOC emissions, spray booths are the processing
units of interest at these facilities.

•	The Surface Coating of Plastic Parts for Business Machines source category includes
three facilities. Two of the three facilities are small businesses. Over the next eight years
following this proposal, EPA expects no new, modified, or reconstructed facilities to
perform surface coating of plastic parts for business machines.

HOW TO COMMENT

•	EPA will accept comment on the proposal for 60 days after publication in the Federal
Register.

•	Comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2021-0200, may be submitted by
one of the following methods:

o Go to https://www.regulations.gov/ and follow the online instructions for

submitting comments,
o Send comments by email to: a-and-r-docket@epa.gov, Attention Docket ID

No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2021-0200.
o Fax your comments to: (202) 566-9744, Attention Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2021-0200.

o Mail your comments to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency,
o Mail Code: 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20460,

Attention Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2021-0200.
o Deliver comments in person to: EPA Docket Center, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW,
Room 3334, Washington, DC. Note: In-person deliveries (including courier
deliveries) are only accepted during the Docket Center's normal hours of
operation. Special arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed
information.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

•	Interested parties can download a copy of the proposed rule notice from EPA's website
at the following address: https://www.epa.gov/stationary-sources-air-pollution/surface-
coating-plastic-parts-business-machines-industrial-surface.

•	The action notice and other background information are also available either
electronically at https://www.regulations.gov/. EPA's electronic public docket and
comment system, or in hardcopy at the EPA Docket Center's Public Reading Room.

o The Public Reading Room is located at the EPA Headquarters library, room
number 3334 in the EPA WJC West Building, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW,
Washington, DC. Hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., eastern standard
time, Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays.

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o Visitors are required to show photographic identification, pass through a metal
detector, and sign the EPA visitor log. All visitor materials will be processed
through an X-ray machine as well. Visitors will be provided a badge that must be
visible at all times.

o Materials for this proposed action can be accessed using Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OAR-2021-0200.

• For further technical information about the rule, contact Ms. Lisa Sutton, EPA's Office of
Air Quality Planning and Standards, at (919) 541-3450 or sutton.lisa@epa.gov.

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