Overview

Lithographic Printing Processes (Rule 4-45).

Effective date of rule:
April 1, 1996

Compliance date:

• All affected facilities must be in full compliance by April 1, 1998.
• If this Rule brings your facility into regulation for non-VOC pollutants, i.e. hazardous air pollutants or others, check with your local Regional Office (See Appendix C) for a determination of compliance time frames outlined in � 9 VAC 5-40-20 and Appendix N of the State Air Pollution Control Board regulations.

Permits:

• A permit may be required if you are covered by the regulation.  Check with your local DEQ Regional Office to verify permitting requirements.  See Appendix C for contact information.

Definitions:

• Definitions of terms and phrases for all rules cited by this regulation can be found in Part I and Appendix A.

Exemptions and facilities not regulated

Exemptions:

1. Northern Virginia VOC Emission Control Area - Lithographic printing processes which have a potential to emit less than 10 tons per year of VOCs are exempt. Normally permit conditions and efficiencies of control equipment and devices can be considered in determining the potential to emit and actually help to reduce the maximum potential annual emissions of a unit or facility.
2. Richmond VOC Emission Control Area - Lithographic printing processes which have a potential to emit less than 100 tons per year of VOCs are exempt. Normally permit conditions and efficiencies of control equipment and devices can be considered in determining the potential to emit and actually help to reduce the maximum potential annual emissions of a unit or facility.

Lithographic facilities not regulated:

1. Printing processes used exclusively for determination of product quality and commercial acceptance as long as:
   • the operation is not an integral part of the production process;
   • the emissions from all product quality printing processes do not exceed 400 pounds in any 30 day period; and
   • the exemption is approved by the Board
2. Photoprocessing, typesetting, and image setting equipment using water-based chemistry to develop silver halide images.
3. Platemaking equipment using water-based chemistry to remove unhardened image-producing material from an exposed plate.
4. Equipment used to make blueprints.
5. Any sheet-fed offset lithographic press with a cylinder width of 26 inches or less.

Standards Volitile Organic Compound Standards
(Regulation Section 9 VAC 5-40-7820):

1. Fountain solutions containing VOCs, in each lithographic press, cannot be used unless the press meets the following requirements:
   Heatset Web Press
   • Fountain Solution Containing Alcohol:
     1. It can contain no more than a daily average of 1.6% VOC by weight; or
     2. The temperature of the solution must be maintained at or below 60 degrees F and can contain no more than a daily average of 3.0% VOC by weight.
   • Fountain Solution Containing No Alcohol:
     1. It can contain no more than a daily average of 5.0% VOC by weight.
   Non-Heatset Web Press and Newspaper Press
   The fountain solution cannot contain any alcohol and it can contain no more than a daily average of 5.0% VOC by weight.
   Sheet-Fed Press
   • The fountain solution can contain no more than a daily average of 5.0% VOC by weight; or
   • The temperature of the solution must be maintained at or below 60 degrees F and cannot contain more than a daily average of 8.5% VOC by weight.
2. A heatset web offset lithographic printing process cannot be used unless one of the following standards are met:
   • A control system is installed which achieves an emission reduction from the press dryer exhaust vent of 90% by weight of VOCs (minus methane or ethane); or
   • The maximum dryer exhaust outlet concentration is maintained at 50 parts per million volume (ppmv) or less as carbon (minus methane and ethane).
3. Cleaning solutions containing VOCs cannot be used in a lithographic printing process unless one of the following standards is met:
   • The daily average of the cleaning solution as applied is no more than 30% VOC by weight; or
   • The daily average of the VOC portion of the cleaning solution as applied has a composite partial vapor pressure of 10 millimeters of mercury or less at 68 degrees F (20 degrees C).
4. Disposal of printing inks, fountain solutions, cleaning solutions and any other products containing 25% or more VOC by weight must be by one of the following methods:
   • Reclamation. [either in-house or by outside services]
   • Incineration.
5. Cleaning solution and applicators when not in use must be stored in covered containers or in machines with remote reservoirs.

1. Visible emission standard (Rule 4-1).
   Opacity of emissions must be below 20%. One six-minute period in any one hour of not more than 60% opacity is allowed.

2. Fugitive dust/emissions standard (Rule 4-1).
   Reasonable precautions to prevent particulate matter from becoming airborne must be taken during handling, transporting, storing, using, constructing, altering, repairing, or demolishing any material or property.

3. Odor standard (Rule 4-2).
   No owner or person shall cause or permit to be discharged into the atmosphere any emissions which cause an odor objectionable to individuals of ordinary sensibility.

4. Toxic pollutant standard (Rule 4-3).
   • Most solvents contain VOCs. Several VOCs are toxic air pollutants and are included on EPA's List of Hazardous (Toxic) Air Pollutants.text
   • Any facility emitting a hazardous air pollutant in excess of a specified percentage of the threshold limit value (TLV) for that particular pollutant will be required to employ control strategies - emission control equipment, process changes,substitution of less toxic or non-toxic materials, or operation and maintenance procedures - which lower or eliminate the toxic emission.
   • Because of the complexity of the exemption formulas it is highly recommended that contact for assistance with this particular regulation be made with your local Regional DEQ Air Office [See Appendix C]; The Small Business Assistance Program (804) 698-4394, or the DEQ's Air Toxics Section (804) 698-4303 or 698-4502.

All affected facilities must be in compliance with all of the provisions of the rule by April 1, 1998.

EMISSION TESTING (METHODS & PROCEDURES)
(Regulation Sect. 9 VAC 5-40-7890)

Emission testing may be required to demonstrate compliance with this rule. The provisions of � 9 VAC 5-40-30 apply. Please check with your regional office concerning details of any testing requirements.

MONITORING (Regulation Section 9 VAC 5-40-7900)

1. The provisions of � 9 VAC 5-40-40 apply to regulated printing facilities.

2. There will be monitoring requirements for the printing process either through a device such as a temperature recorder, keeping a log of temperatures, or monitoring the concentration of VOCs in the fountain solution. The type of monitoring required is specific to each process on a case-by-case basis. More information can be obtained from any Regional DEQ Air Office (see Appendix C), or the Small Business Assistance Program at (804)698-4394.

RECORDKEEPING, NOTIFICATION & REPORTS
(Regulation Sect. 9 VAC 5-40-7910)

1. The provisions of � 9 VAC 5-40-50 (Notification, records and reporting) apply.

2. The owner of any offset lithographic printing press must maintain a monthly record of the type of control device used to satisfy the monitoring requirements found in the fact sheet section "Monitoring" 2 and specified in the Regulation Section 9 VAC 5-40-7900 B.
3. Each parameter must be recorded on a daily basis and kept on site for two (2) years. Note: Facilities which will require operating permits will need to maintain their recors for a period of five (5) years.
   • The operating parameters as found in the fact sheet section "Monitoring" 2. Specified in Regulation Section 9 VAC 5-40-7900 B;
   • The equipment standard selected to comply with the requirements as found in the fact sheet section "Volatile Organic Compound Standards" 2 a,b. Listed in Regulation Section 9 VAC 5-40-7820 B;
   • The volatile organic compound content of the fountain and cleaning solutions, as found in the fact sheet section "Volatile Organic Compound Standards". See Regulation Section 9 VAC 5-40-7820;
   • The temperature of the fountain solution, as found in the fact sheet section "Volatile Organic Compound Standards" 1, dealing with Fountain Solutions. See the Regulation Section 9 VAC 5-40-7820 A.;
   • For manual cleaning, the amount of cleaning solution concentrate and water per batch of cleaning solution mixed;
   • For automatic cleaning, the flow rates of cleaning solution concentrate and water, as specified in the fact sheet section "Volatile Organic Compounds Standards" 3. for cleaning solutions. See Regulation Section 9 VAC 5-40-7820 C; and
   • Corrective actions taken when an exceedance of any parameter monitored occurs according to the requirements of the fact sheet sections Emissions Testing and Monitoring. See Regulation Section 9 VAC 5-40-7890 through 9 VAC 5-40-7900.

REGISTRATION

The provisions of � 9 VAC 5-20-160 (Registration) apply.

FACILITY AND CONTROL EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE OR MALFUNCTION

The provisions of 9 VAC 5-20-180 (Facility and control equipment maintenance or malfunction) apply.

The following is a list of definitions used in this rule which may be helpful.

"Alcohol" means any of the following compounds when used as a fountain solution additive: ethanol, n-propanol, and isopropanol.

"Alcohol substitute" means any non-alcohol additive that contains volatile organic compounds and is used in the fountain solution.

"Batch" means a supply of fountain solution that is prepared and used without alteration until completely used or removed from the printing process.

"Best Available Control Technology (BACT)" means an emissions limitation (including a visible emissions standard) based on the maximum degree of reduction for each toxic pollutant which the Board, on a case-by-case basis, taking into account energy, environmental, and economic impacts and other costs, determines is achievable for such source or modification through application of production processes or available methods, systems, and techniques, including fuel cleaning or treatment or innovative fuel combustion techniques for control of such pollutant. If the Board determines that technological or economic limitations on the application of measurement methodology to a particular emissions unit would make the imposition of an emissions standard infeasible, a design, equipment, work practice, operational standard, or combination thereof, may be prescribed instead to satisfy the requirement for the application of best available control technology. Such standard shall, to the degree possible, set forth the emissions reduction achievable by implementation of such design, equipment, work practice or operation, and shall provide for compliance by means which achieve equivalent results.

"Cleaning solution" means any blanket or roller wash used to remove ink and debris from the operating surface of a printing press.

"Composite partial vapor pressure" means the sum of the partial pressures of the compounds defined as volatile organic compounds.

The "Composite partial vapor pressure" is calculated as follows:

"Fountain solution" means any mixture of water, volatile and nonvolatile chemicals, and additives applied to a lithographic plate to repel ink from the non-image area on the plate.

"Fugitive dust" means particulate matter composed of soil and/or other materials of natural origin. Fugitive dust may include emissions from haul roads, wind erosion of exposed surfaces and storage piles and other activities in which the material is either removed, stored, transported or redistributed.

"Fugitive emissions" means emissions which are generated by industrial or other activities and which do not pass through a stack, chimney, vent or other functionally equivalent opening, but which may escape from openings (such as windows, doors, ill-fitting closures or poorly maintained equipment) or material handling equipment.

"Heatset" means a lithographic printing process in which heat from a dryer is used to evaporate ink oils from the substrate.

"Lithographic printing" means a planographic printing process in which the image and non-image areas are chemically differentiated with the image area being oil-receptive and the non-image area being water-receptive.

"Non-heatset" means a lithographic printing process in which the printing inks are set and dried by absorption or oxidation rather than heat. For the purposes of this rule, UV-cured and electron beam-cured inks are considered non-heatset.

"Opacity" means the degree to which emissions reduce the transmission of light and obscure the view of an object in the background, expressed as a percentage.

"Pesticide" means the same as the definition given in � 3.1-249.27 of the Virginia Pesticide Control Act.

"Potential To Emit (PTE)" means an emission rate based on the maximum capacity of a stationary source to emit a pollutant under its physical and operational design. Any physical, operational, or air permit limitation is considered part of its design only if the limitation or the effect of the limitation on emissions is a state or federally enforceable condition. For example, a limitation on the capacity of the source to emit a pollutant might be air pollution control equipment, a restriction on the hours of operation or on the type or amount of material combusted, stored, or processed. these conditions are recognized as state and federally enforceable.

"Press" means a printing production assembly composed of one or more units to produce a printed substrate (sheet or web).

"Printing" means a photomechanical process in which a transfer of text, designs, and images occurs through contact of an image carrier with a substrate.

"Printing process" means any operation or system wherein printing ink or a combination of printing ink and surface coating is applied, dried or cured and which is subject to the same emission standard. May include any equipment which applies, conveys, dries or cures inks or surface coatings, including, but not limited to, flow coaters, flashoff areas, air dryers, drying areas and ovens. It is not necessary for a printing process to have an oven, flashoff area or drying area to be included in this definition.

"Sheet-fed" means a lithographic printing process in which individual sheets of substrate are fed into the press sequentially.

"Significant ambient air concentration" means the concentration of a toxic pollutant in the ambient air that if exceeded may have the potential to injure human health.

"Six-minute period" means any one of the 10 equal parts of one-hour or a one-hour period, as may be applicable.

"Threshold limit value (TLV)�" means the maximum airborne concentration of a substance to which the ACGIH believes that nearly all workers may be repeatedly exposed day after day without adverse effects and which is published in the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Handbook The TLV� is divided into three categories: TLV-Time-Weighted Average� (TLV-TWA�), TLV-Short-Term Exposure Limit� (TLV-STEL�), and TLV-Ceiling� (TLV-C�).

"TLV-TWA�" means the time-weighted average concentration for a normal 8-hour workday and a 40-hour workweek, to which nearly all workers may be repeatedly exposed, day after day, without adverse effect (as defined in the ACGIH Handbook).

"TLV-STEL�" means the concentration to which workers may be exposed continuously for a short period of time without suffering from irritation, chronic or irreversible tissue damage, or narcosis of sufficient degree to increase the likelihood of accidental injury, impair self-rescue or materially reduce work efficiency. The TLV-STEL� supplements the TLV-TWA� where there are recognized acute effects from a substance whose toxic effects are primarily of a chronic nature.

"TLV-C�" means the concentration that should not be exceeded during any part of the working exposure.

"Toxic pollutant" means any air pollutant for which no ambient air quality standard has been established. Particulate matter and volatile organic compounds are not toxic pollutants as generic classes of substances but individual substances within these classes may be non-criteria toxic pollutants because of their toxic properties or because a TLV� has been established.

"Unit" means the smallest complete printing component, composed of an inking and dampening system, of a printing press.

"Web" means a continuous roll of printing substrate.

Emissions Control Areas are geographically defined below by locality for the pollutants indicated.

• DEQ Regional Small Business Assistance Liason Contacts 
• Office of Pollution Prevention

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