Louisiana Administrative Code
Title 33 - ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
Part III - Air
Chapter 21 - Control of Emission of Organic Compounds
Subchapter H - Graphic Arts
Section III-2143 - Graphic Arts (Printing) by Rotogravure, Flexographic, Offset Lithographic, Letterpress, and Flexible Package Printing Processes

Universal Citation: LA Admin Code III-2143

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024

A. Control Requirements

1. After June 20, 2010, no person shall operate or allow the operation of a packaging rotogravure, publication rotogravure, or flexographic printing facility having a potential to emit 25 TPY or more of VOC in the parishes of Ascension, East Baton Rouge, Iberville, Livingston, and West Baton Rouge; having a potential to emit 50 TPY or more of VOC in the parishes of Calcasieu and Pointe Coupee; or having a potential to emit 100 TPY or more of VOC in any other parish, unless VOC emissions are controlled by one of the methods in Subparagraphs A.1.a-d of this Section. This requirement applies to affected machines on which both surface coating and printing operations are performed. Line-by-line compliance with these emission limits or control requirements is required. Any cross-line averaging or bubbling must receive approval from the administrative authority*. Once a facility is subject to the provisions of this Section, it remains so regardless of future variations in production.

a. The solvent fraction of ink, as it is applied to the substrate, less exempt solvent, shall contain 25 volume percent or less of organic solvent and 75 volume percent or more of water. Also acceptable as an alternative limit is ink containing no more than 0.5 pounds of volatile organic compounds per pound of solids. Exempt solvents are those compounds listed in LAC 33:III.2117.

b. A volatile organic compound adsorption or incineration system shall have at least 95 percent (by weight) control efficiency across the control device, which can be demonstrated to have an overall capture and abatement reduction of at least 85 percent.

c. The ink as it is applied to the substrate, less water and exempt solvent, shall contain 60 percent by volume or more of nonvolatile material.

d. Another control method approved by the administrative authority* may be employed.

2. After June 20, 2010, no person shall operate or allow the operation of a flexible package printing facility having a potential to emit 25 TPY or more of VOC in the parishes of Ascension, East Baton Rouge, Iberville, Livingston, and West Baton Rouge; having a potential to emit 50 TPY or more of VOC in the parishes of Calcasieu and Pointe Coupee; or having a potential to emit 100 TPY or more of VOC in any other parish, unless VOC emissions are controlled to the applicable control efficiency specified in Subparagraphs A.2.a-d or e of this Section. Once a piece of equipment is subject to the provisions of this Section, it remains so regardless of future variations in production or transfers to different locations.

a. A press that was first installed prior to March 14, 1995, and that is controlled by an add-on air pollution control device (APCD) whose first installation was prior to December 20, 1987, shall have 65 percent control efficiency.

b. A press that was first installed prior to March 14, 1995, and that is controlled by an add-on APCD whose first installation was on or after December 20, 1987, shall have 70 percent control efficiency.

c. A press that was first installed on or after March 14, 1995, and that is controlled by an APCD whose first installation was prior to December 20, 1987, shall have 75 percent control efficiency.

d. A press that was first installed on or after March 14, 1995, and that is controlled by an add-on APCD whose first installation was on or after December 20, 1987, shall have 80 percent control efficiency.

e. As an alternative to Subparagraph A.2.a, b, c, or d, a facility shall meet the average VOC content limit on a single press of 0.8 kg VOC/kg solids applied or 0.16 kg VOC/kg materials applied.

3. After June 20, 2010, no person shall operate or allow the operation of an offset lithographic or letterpress printing facility having a potential to emit 25 TPY or more of VOC in the parish of Ascension, East Baton Rouge, Iberville, Livingston, or West Baton Rouge; having a potential to emit 50 TPY or more of VOC in the parish of Calcasieu or Pointe Coupee; or having a potential to emit 100 TPY or more of VOC in any other parish, unless VOC emissions are controlled by one of the methods in Subparagraphs A.3.a-c of this Section. Once a facility is subject to the provisions of this Section, it remains so regardless of future variations in production. Determination of potential to emit, for the purposes of applicability, shall be made without respect to any VOC control device.

a. Control for heatset web offset lithographic processes, letterpress dryers, and the volatilization of inks in a letterpress dryer shall be accomplished by:

i. a control device with at least 90 percent control efficiency for control devices installed prior to June 20, 2009. The installation date does not change if the control device is later used to control a new or different press;

ii a control device with at least 95 percent control efficiency for control devices installed on or after June 20, 2009; or

iii a control device that limits the control device outlet concentration to 20 ppmv or less as hexane on a dry basis.

b. Control for offset lithographic fountain solution emitting more than 15 pounds per day shall be accomplished as follows:

i. heatset printing-limit the amount of alcohol by weight to 1.6 percent or less as applied;

ii. sheet-fed printing-limit the amount of alcohol by weight to 5 percent or less as applied. Sheet-fed presses with sheet size of 11 x 17 inches or smaller or any press with a total fountain solution reservoir of less than 1 gallon are exempt;

iii. coldset printing-limit the amount of alcohol by weight to 5 percent or less as applied.

c. Another control method approved by the administrative authority* may be employed.

4. Control for cleaning materials for those facilities where actual emissions from lithographic and letterpress printing operations are greater than 15 pounds per day (before consideration of controls) shall be accomplished by one of the following methods.

a. Cleaning materials shall contain a VOC composite with a vapor pressure of less than 10 mm Hg (0.19 psi) at 20°C or contain less than 70 percent VOC by weight.

b. Cleaning materials and used shop towels shall be kept in closed containers except when actually in use.

c. For blanket washing, roller washing, plate cleaners, metering roller cleaners, impression cylinder cleaners, rubber rejuvenators, and other cleaners used for cleaning a press or press parts, or to remove dried ink around a press, any amount greater than 110 gallons of cleaning materials per year shall meet either the low VOC composite vapor pressure requirement or the lower VOC requirement.

5. Control for cleaning materials for those facilities where actual emissions from flexible package printing operations are greater than 15 pounds per day (before consideration of controls) shall be accomplished by one of the following methods.

a. Cleaning materials and used shop towels shall be kept in closed containers except when actually in use.

b. Cleaning materials shall be conveyed from one location to another in closed containers or pipes.

6. Control for cleaning materials for those facilities where actual emissions from printing operations are greater than 15 pounds per day (before consideration of controls) shall be accomplished by one of the following methods.

a. Cleaning materials and used shop towels shall be kept in closed containers except when actually in use.

b. For blanket washing, roller washing, plate cleaners, metering roller cleaners, impression cylinder cleaners, rubber rejuvenators, and other cleaners used for cleaning a press or press parts, or to remove dried ink around a press, any amount greater than 110 gallons of cleaning materials per year shall meet either the low VOC composite vapor pressure requirement or the lower VOC requirement.

B. Exemptions

1. For those facilities where actual emissions from packaging rotogravure and publication rotogravure printing operations are greater than 15 pounds per day (before consideration of controls) and where the potential to emit is less than 25 TPY of VOC on a per press basis before controls, only the cleaning materials control requirements in Paragraph A.6 of this Section are applicable.

2. The following equipment or processes are exempt from meeting the requirements of Paragraph A.6 of this Section:

a. heatset web offset lithographic printing operations and heatset web letterpress printing operations with the potential to emit from the dryer, prior to controls, an amount equal to or less than 25 tons VOC (petroleum ink oil) per year, provided that an enforceable limit on potential emissions is obtained to keep an individual heatset press below the 25 TPY potential to emit threshold;

b. heatset presses used for book printing and presses with a maximum web width of less than or equal to 22 inches; and

c. operations with emissions from sheet-fed or coldset webinks, sheet-fed or coldset varnishes, waterborne coatings, and radiation cured materials.

C. Compliance. The owner/operator of any facility subject to this Section shall install and maintain monitors to accurately measure and record operational parameters of all required control devices as necessary to ensure the proper functioning of those devices in accordance with the design specification. Compliance with this Section shall be determined by certification from the ink manufacturer concerning the solvent makeup of the ink or by applying the following test methods as appropriate:

1. Test Method 24 ( 40 CFR Part 60, Appendix A, as incorporated by reference at LAC 33:III.3003) for determination of volatile matter content, water content, density volume solids and weight of solids;

2. Test Methods 1-4 ( 40 CFR Part 60, Appendix A, as incorporated by reference at LAC 33:III.3003) for determining flow rates;

3. Test Method 25 ( 40 CFR Part 60, Appendix A, as incorporated by reference at LAC 33:III.3003) for determining total gaseous nonmethane organic emissions as carbon; and

4. capture efficiency test by a method approved by the administrative authority*.

D. Recordkeeping. The owner or operator of any graphic arts facility shall maintain records at the facility to verify compliance with or exemption from this Section. The records shall be maintained for at least two years and shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

1. records of any testing done in accordance with Subsection C of this Section;

2. records of operational parameters of control devices including:

a. the exhaust gas temperature of direct-flame incinerators and/or the gas temperature immediately upstream or downstream of any catalyst bed;

b. the total amount of volatile organic compounds recovered by carbon adsorption or other solvent recovery systems during a calendar month;

c. the dates for any malfunction of a required control device and the estimated quantity and duration of volatile organic compound emissions during the upset period; and

d. continuous monitoring for breakthrough of a carbon adsorption bed;

3. material data sheets which document the volatile organic compound content, composition, solids content, solvent density and other relevant information regarding each ink or coating used.

E. Timing. A facility that has become subject to this regulation as a result of a revision of the regulation shall comply with the requirements of this Section as soon as practicable, but in no event later than one year from the promulgation of the regulation revision.

F. Operating, Monitoring, and Maintenance Procedures. Operating, monitoring, and maintenance procedures for the facilities and equipment subject to the requirements of this Section shall be incorporated into the housekeeping plan required by LAC 33:III.2113.A.4.

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 30:2054.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Louisiana may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.

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