Air Toxics
National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP)
Paint Stripping and Miscellaneous Surface Coating Operations Webpage

On January 9, 2008, the EPA adopted National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Paint Stripping and Miscellaneous Surface Coating Operations at Area Sources (Subpart HHHHHH).  This regulation applies to auto body shops as well as businesses that spray-apply coatings to metal or plastic, or use methylene chloride (MeCl) to do paint stripping.  This webpage provides information about this federal regulation.  Here is the federal regulation:

• National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Paint Stripping and Miscellaneous Surface Coating Operations at Area Sources final regulation.

Action required by January 11, 2010 for existing sources subject to this federal regulation!

• Initial Notification Due January 11, 2010.  All existing sources subject to the federal regulation are required to submit an Initial Notification directly to the USEPA by no later than January 11, 2010.  An example Initial Notification letter is available.
• New Sources Must Comply Now.  All new sources that startup on or after January 9, 2008 are required to comply with the federal regulation upon startup.

Advisories

• 06/22/10:  EPA exemption approval letters are now available here.
• 04/26/09:  Manufacturer list of products containing HAPs subject to NESHAP HHHHHH are now available in the Reference Material section of this page.
• 12/17/09:  APCD informational mailing sent out.  To see a copy of the letter click here.
• 01/09/08:  NESHAP: Paint Stripping and Miscellaneous Surface Coating Operations at Area Sources final rule is adopted.  Existing units are required to submit an Initial Notification to the USEPA by January 11, 2010.

Reference Material

• National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Paint Stripping and Miscellaneous Surface Coating Operations at Area Sources final regulation.
• Summary of Regulations Controlling Air Emissions from Paint Stripping and Miscellaneous Surface Coating Operations.  This brochure contains important information about the regulation including who it applies to and its requirements.
• Example Initial Notification letter.
• Example Petition for Exemption letter.
• APCD informational mailing.
• List of products containing HAPs subject to NESHAP HHHHHH:
  • AkzoNobel
  • DuPont
  • Martin Senour
  • PPG
  • Sherwin Williams
  • Spies Hecker
  • Standox
• EPA exemption approval letters.

Useful Links

• USEPA Area Source Rules Webpage.

Contact Information

This regulation is implemented directly by the federal government.  For more information about this rule, please contact Periann Wood (415-947-4138, wood.periann@epa.gov) or Joe Westersund (415-972-3841, westersund.joe@epa.gov) at USEPA Region 9.  Correspondence can be sent to the address below.

U.S. EPA Region 9
75 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco, CA 94105

Return to Air Toxics main page