Code of Maine Rules
06 - DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
096 - DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION - GENERAL
Chapter 151 - ARCHITECTURAL AND INDUSTRIAL MAINTENANCE (AIM) COATINGS
Section 096-151-3 - Standards
Current through 2024-38, September 18, 2024
A. VOC content limits. Except as provided in section 3(B), 3(C), and 3(H), no person shall: (1) manufacture, blend or repackage for sale within the State of Maine, (2) supply, sell, or offer for sale within the State of Maine, or (3) solicit for application or apply within the State of Maine, any architectural coating manufactured on or after January 1, 2006 which contains volatile organic compounds in excess of the limits specified in the following Table of Standards. Limits are expressed in grams of VOC per liter of coating thinned to the manufacturer's maximum recommendation, excluding the volume of any water, exempt compounds, or colorant added to tint bases. Manufacturer's maximum recommendation means the maximum recommendation for thinning that is indicated on the label or lid of the coating container.
Table of Standards - VOC Content Limits for Architectural Coatings
| Coating category | VOC Content Limit grams VOC per liter |
| Flat coatings | 100 |
| Nonflat coatings | 150 |
| Nonflat - high gloss coatings | 250 |
| Antenna coatings | 530 |
| Antifouling coatings | 400 |
| Bituminous roof coatings | 300 |
| Bituminous roof primers | 350 |
| Bond breakers | 350 |
| Calcimine recoaters | 475 |
| Clear wood coatings | |
| * Clear brushing lacquers | 680 |
| * Lacquers (including lacquer sanding sealers) | 550 |
| * Sanding sealers (other than lacquer sanding sealers) | 350 |
| * Varnishes | 450 |
| * Conversion varnishes | 725 |
| Concrete curing compounds | 350 |
| Concrete surface retarders | 780 |
| Dry fog coatings | 400 |
| Faux finishing coatings | 350 |
| Fire resistive coatings | 350 |
| Fire retardant coatings | |
| * Clear | 650 |
| * Opaque | 350 |
| Floor coatings | 250 |
| Flow coatings | 420 |
| Form-release compounds | 250 |
| Graphic arts coatings (sign paints) | 500 |
| High temperature coatings | 420 |
| Impacted immersion coatings | 780 |
| Industrial maintenance coatings | 340 |
| Interior wood clear and semitransparent stains | 550 |
| Low solids coatings | 120 |
| Magnesite cement coatings | 450 |
| Mastic texture coatings | 300 |
| Metallic pigmented coatings | 500 |
| Multi-color coatings | 250 |
| Pre-treatment wash primers | 420 |
| Primers, sealers, and undercoaters | 200 |
| Quick-dry enamels | 250 |
| Quick-dry primers, sealers, and undercoaters | 200 |
| Recycled coatings | 250 |
| Roof coatings | 250 |
| Rust preventive coatings | 400 |
| Shellacs: | |
| * Clear | 730 |
| * Opaque | 550 |
| Specialty primers, sealers, and undercoaters | 350 |
| Stains other than interior wood clear and semitransparent stains | 250 |
| Swimming pool coatings and swimming pool repair and maintenance coatings | 340 |
| Temperature-indicator safety coatings | 550 |
| Thermoplastic rubber coatings and mastics | 550 |
| Traffic marking coatings | 150 |
| Waterproofing sealers | 250 |
| Waterproofing concrete/masonry sealers | 400 |
| Wood preservatives | 350 |
B. Most restrictive VOC limit. If anywhere on the container of any architectural coating, or any label sticker affixed to the container, or in any sales, advertising, or technical literature supplied by a manufacturer or anyone acting on the manufacturer's behalf, including retailers who sell under a private label, representation is made that the coating meets the definition of or is recommended for use or may be used for more than one of the coating categories listed in section 3(A), then the most restrictive VOC content limit shall apply. This provision does not apply to the coating categories listed below:
C. Sell-through of architectural or industrial maintenance coatings. A coating manufactured prior to January 1, 2006 may be sold, supplied, offered for sale or applied after January 1, 2006, as long as the architectural or industrial maintenance coating complies with the standards in effect at the time the coating was manufactured, and the coating displays the date of manufacture or a code representing the date of manufacture on the lid, label or bottom of the container.
D. Painting practices. Any person who applies architectural coatings shall ensure that all containers used to apply the contents therein to a surface directly from the container by pouring, siphoning, brushing or rolling, padding, ragging or other means shall be closed when not in use. These architectural coatings containers include, but are not limited to, drums, buckets, cans, pails, trays, or other application containers. Containers of any VOC-containing materials used for thinning and cleanup shall also be closed when not in use.
E.Thinning. No person who applies or solicits the application or any architectural coating shall apply a coating that is thinned to exceed the applicable VOC limit specified in section 3(A).
F.Rust preventive coatings. No person shall apply or solicit the application of any rust preventive coating for industrial use, unless such a rust preventive coating complies with the industrial maintenance coating VOC limit specified in section 3(A).
NOTE: Facilities that apply coatings in a shop application may be subject to the Department's Chapter 129, Surface Coating Facilities regulation concerning coatings of miscellaneous metal parts or other materials.
G. Coatings not listed in section 3(A). For any coating that does not meet any of the definitions for the specialty coatings categories listed in section 3(A), the VOC content limit shall be determined by classifying the coating as a flat coating, nonflat coating, or nonflat-high gloss coating as those terms are defined in sections 2(Z), (OO), and (PP) and the corresponding flat or nonflat coating limit shall apply.
H. Lacquers. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 3(A), a person or facility may add up to 10% by volume of VOC to a lacquer to avoid blushing of the finish during days with relative humidity greater than 70% and temperature below 65OF, at the time of application, provided that the coating contains acetone and no more than 550 grams of VOC per liter of coating, less water and exempt compounds, prior to the addition of VOC.
I. Effective January 1, 2011, varnishes may not contain volatile organic compounds in excess of 350 grams per liter.
