Massachusetts Energy and Environmental Affairs

Regulator Responsibility:

Energy and Environmental Affairs is the air pollution regulator for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Massachusetts is a member of the Ozone Transport Commission (OTC), and plans to adopt the OTC’s Model Rules for the regulation of the emission of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).

VOC Content Limits:

Massachusetts air pollution control regulations are contained in: 310 CMR 7.00: Air Pollution Control Regulations. Section 7.18: Volatile & Halogenated Organic Compounds, starting at page 269, is a detailed regulation governing the VOC content of a wide range of known emitters. There are tables of maximum VOC content included for every class of product.

7.18(4)(b) Emission Limitations Metal Can Surface Coating 7.18(5) Large Appliance Surface Coating. 7.18 (6) Magnet Wire Insulation Surface Coating 7.18(7)(b) Emissions Limitations Automotive Surface Coating 7.18 (8) Solvent Metal Degreasing 7.18 (9) Cutback Asphalt 7.18 (10) Metal Coil Coating 7.18 (11) Surface Coating of Miscellaneous Metal Parts and Products 7.18 (12) Graphic Arts 7.18 (14) Paper Surface Coating 7.18 (15) Fabric Surface Coating 7.18 (16) Vinyl Surface Coating 7.18 (18) Polystyrene Resin Manufacture 7.18 (21) Surface Coating of Plastic Parts 7.18 (22) Leather Surface Coating 7.18 (23) Wood Products Surface Coating 7.18 (24) Flat Wood Paneling Surface Coating 7.18 (25) Offset Lithographic Printing 7.18 (26) Textile Finishing 7.18 (27) Coating Mixing Tanks 7.18 (28) Automotive Refinishing

There are comprehensive tables included summarizing the VOC content limits for AIM Coatings and Consumer Products:Table 1 on pg 479: VOC Content Limits for Architectural and Industrial Maintenance Coatings, effective January 1, 2009. Table 2 on page 523: VOC Content Limits for Consumer Products Effective January 1, 2009.

Rule Changes:

Section 7.18 recently added a new section (30): Adhesives, Adhesive Primers, Sealants and Sealant Primers to the list of regulated products. New limits came into effect on January 1, 2015 and others will come into effect on January 1, 2016. These additions are in response to the OTC Model Rules. Table 1 on page 194: VOC Content Limits for Adhesives, Sealants, Adhesive Primers, and Sealant Primers.