California is poised to adopt new regulations limiting the use of VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) in automotive coatings, and Canada is likely to follow suit.

The sources of pollution in the automotive industry are well-known: combustion engines, energy expenditure in assembly plants, exploitation of metals found in vehicles, production of plastics for interiors, and so on.

But surprisingly, paint and coatings on vehicles are also a significant source of concern for environmental protection agencies like the South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD), an organization responsible for implementing measures to ensure good air quality in parts of California.

Since 2023, South Coast AQMD has been in discussions with industry stakeholders to tighten rules around emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), chemicals that are widely used in automotive coatings and subsequently released into the atmosphere.

More specifically, South Coast AQMD plans to update the terms of “Rule 1151,” which came into effect in 1988 and imposes limits on paint manufacturers for VOC emissions from automotive coating applications in California. Among the products controlled by Rule 1151 are primers, color coatings, clear coats, and adhesives, with each type of coating having different VOC emission limits.

Technicians working with these products are highly exposed to VOCs, so it’s essential to ensure their safety. This is what Rule 1151 governs, following the evolution of our society.

Where do VOCs in automotive coatings come from?

Volatile Organic Compounds are released during the application of all automotive paints and coatings. However, not all paints release the same amount.

First, there are water-based paints, invented in the 1990s. They release fewer VOCs, making them more environmentally friendly and less toxic. Then, there are solvent-based paints, which use older chemistry and generally release the most VOCs.

A handful of specific solvents, however, produce fewer VOCs than others, in addition to containing no banned chemical compounds, as explained by the Training Director at Axalta Systems, Normand Cormier: “Among the three exempt solvents, we have PCBTF or Oxol, often used in clear coats and offering a longer drying time. This allows time to spread the product well and gives a better result.”

Solvents based on P-Chlorobenzotrifluoride (PCBTF) are therefore highly appreciated and in demand in body shops.

However, in 2020, PCBTF was discovered to be carcinogenic. For this reason, South Coast AQMD initially wanted to ban all use of PCBTF, according to Cormier. But after surveying several coating manufacturers in California, the organization found that today’s technology did not completely allow for ceasing its use. South Coast AQMD is therefore giving paint manufacturers a few years’ reprieve to offer new solutions without PCBTF.

Limiting the impact of VOCs on the environment

Although PCBTF is toxic to humans, credit where credit is due: it’s a rather eco-friendly product. Indeed, since PCBTF is very powerful, little is needed in paint mixtures for it to be effective, according to an article published on the University of Waterloo website. Moreover, when applying paints containing PCBTF, there are actually few emissions into the air.

According to BASF Canada’s Strategic Account Manager, Benjamin Perrier, to prevent VOCs from entering the air and polluting, body shops have the option of containing and limiting VOCs using air filtration systems. However, these systems can represent a significant investment (up to $100,000).

According to Perrier, body shops have every interest in moving towards eco-responsible coating solutions now, both to anticipate future environmental standards on VOC emissions and to minimize the impact of these same emissions on the health of their employees.

“Today, at BASF, all our efforts are focused on developing more sustainable solutions. For example, our latest automotive finishing paint lines already emit up to 40% less VOCs than the current standard.”

Towards application in Canada

Following manufacturers’ comments, the limits revised by the new Rule 1151 will be applied in two phases, to give the industry time to adapt to the new rules. The table below shows the deadlines for each phase for the types of coatings covered by this regulation.

According to Normand A Cormier, Canada will likely adopt similar limits: “We adopt the same rules in Canada in over 90% of cases for hazardous chemicals,” he specifies. “We use pretty much the same processes and technologies in our shops, so it makes sense to use the same emission limits.”

If there are no obstacles, the new edition of Rule 1151 should be adopted in California in November 2024, then applied in several phases over the following years. These new restrictions will therefore arrive in Quebec in a few years. However, as Cormier indicates, Canadian manufacturers have already been preparing for their arrival for some time.

“For about two years now, manufacturers in Canada have been hearing about the changes that are going to happen regarding VOCs in the United States,” reveals Cormier. “At Axalta, we have started to prepare for the arrival of the new limits, but it takes time to come up with new solutions.”

Consequently, both Canadian and American manufacturers producing coatings must now look for solutions to meet the upcoming limits.

The impact for our shops

In Canada, the equivalent of California’s Rule 1151 that regulates products that emit VOCs is the Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Concentration Limits for Automotive Refinishing Products Regulations.

Thus, when the Canadian government decides to take action and adopt these new standards in turn, companies in the country will have to comply with the indications found therein. According to Erica Clayton, Product Manager for Automotive and Specialty Coatings at AkzoNobel, a multinational manufacturer specializing in coatings, these legislative changes will influence the types of products body shop technicians will work with.

“We’re going to see more and more high-solid content coatings. They have a lower solvent content, which reduces VOC emissions during their application. We’re also going to start using more solvents that emit little or no harmful VOCs, like acetone.”

Application techniques for products are also likely to change in body shops. Indeed, some new generation coatings already use UV rays during finishing to cure, which significantly reduces the amount of solvent needed for the task.

“Fifteen years ago, we had no choice but to use PCBTF in a wide variety of coatings,” says Clayton. “Today, with technological advances, we have the tools to create coatings with very little or no PCBTF, which is safer for the professionals handling the products.”