Loss of oil base paints

[Ron Percell]

I read posts from folks worried about the loss of oil based paints on various boards and want to address some concerns that some have brought to life.

The concerns from state to state are with the VOC's (Volatile Organic Compounds) these are the harmful vapors that exist withen the products of discussion.

As a new manufacturer of products for our trade I've contacted all of our state's (Ca.) EPA governing bodies to expand a discussion on the topic of paint supplies for Sign Artist, Pinstripers, and Gilders. This is a educational process many times for the parties in which I contact, and along the way I've made quite a few new friends, with a few new customers for my craft.

Many of the folks in charge understand our worries, but lack the ability to implement any change due to the fact that many of the states EPA board is made up of Govenor Appointed positions, and intern respond to the information presented to them, and frankly that usually is information the the Activists, yes some being tree huggers, and or corporate representitives present to them.


I could imaging that paint companies would have major concerns when something is presented on a federal level, and with a few states leading the way, but how many states get represention for our own interests within our trade?

There are National standards in which many of the states are following, while more heavier poplulated areas amoungst various states have come to amend these standards to reflect the types of problems and health concerns in which industries that produce and or use chemical containing VOC's have caused. But on the other side states without as much funding for studies tend to just adapt contemporary dicissions

In Most cases where gallons have been pulled of the shelfs, exemptions have been added for the benefit of the specialist and or of the special unreplacable nature of a product is needed. Withen these national standards Graphic Arts(pinstripers, muralists, etc) and Sign Paints have a special exemption of 500 voc's, allowing many of the current products we use to still be used but only purchased in quart quanities, so this should ease a few concerns as far as disapeering paint for now. Not that some companies are dropping lines of paint, many due to thier policies on being gallon producers, choosing not to get into the added expense of quart filling.

The suggestion from many of the associated EPA offices is letter writting to your congressional representatives, govenor, and local/statewide Air quality boards, because after all the squeeky spoke gets greased.

One more thing to note, California is split up into different Air Quality Districts, and those in the South Coast (L.A.) should start writting or calling in because thier looking at dropping the quart exemption rule, on top of lowering the VOC rule to 350 voc's.


If Anyone else cares to elaborate, please do so, it's an education I'm sure more than a few of us are concerned with.

[Bob Rochon]

Thank you so much Ron for taking the time to investgate and report back to us, I should check with the mass EPA and see what thier stand is on this.

It is one thing to fight a battle and lose, it is another to never even bother and lose just the same.