20 DCMR 774
774. ARCHITECTURAL AND INDUSTRIAL MAINTENANCE COATING – STANDARDS
Cite as D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 20, § 774
774 ARCHITECTURAL AND INDUSTRIAL MAINTENANCE COATING – STANDARDS
774.1 No person shall manufacture, blend, supply, sell, offer for sale, apply, or solicit the application of any architectural coating with a VOC content in excess of the corresponding limit specified in the Table of Standards in § 774.10, except as provided in §§ 774.2, 774.3, 774.8, and 774.10.
774.2 The most restrictive VOC content limit shall apply if anywhere on the container of any architectural coating, or any label or sticker affixed to the container, or in any sales, advertising, or technical literature supplied by a manufacturer or anyone acting on their behalf, any representation is made that indicates that the coating meets the definition of or is recommended for use for more than one (1) of the coating categories listed in the Table of Standards in § 774.10. This provision does not apply to the following coating categories:
Lacquer coatings (including lacquer sanding sealers);
(b) Metallic pigmented coatings;
(c) Shellacs;
(d) Fire-retardant coatings;
(e) Pretreatment wash primers;
(f) Industrial maintenance coatings;
(g) Low-solids coatings;
(h) Wood preservatives;
(i) High-temperature coatings;
(j) Temperature-indicator safety coatings;
(k) Antenna coatings;
(l) Antifouling coatings;
(m) Flow coatings;
(n) Bituminous roof primers;
(o) Specialty primers, sealers, and undercoaters;
(p) Thermoplastic rubber coating and mastic;
(q) Calcimine recoaters;
(r) Impacted immersion coatings;
(s) Nuclear coatings; and
(t) Concrete surface retarders.
774.3 A coating manufactured before the effective date specified for that coating in the Table of Standards in § 774.10, may be sold, supplied, or offered for sale after the specified effective date. In addition, a coating manufactured before the effective date specified for that coating in the Table of Standards in § 774.10 may be applied at any time, both before and after the specified effective date, so long as the coating complied with the standards in effect at the time the coating was manufactured. This subsection does not apply to any coating that does not display the date or date code required by § 776.1(a).
774.4 All architectural coating containers used to apply the contents therein to a surface directly from the container by pouring, siphoning, brushing, rolling, padding, ragging, or other means shall be closed when not in use. These architectural coatings containers include, but are not limited to:
(a) Drums, buckets, cans, pails, trays, or other application containers; and
(b) Containers of any VOC-containing materials used for thinning and cleanup shall also be closed when not in use.
774.5 No person who applies or solicits the application of any architectural coating shall apply a coating that is thinned to exceed the applicable VOC limit specified in the Table of Standards in § 774.10.
774.6 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 the Table of Standards in § 774.10.
774.7 For any coating that does not meet any of the definitions for the specialty coatings categories listed in the Table of Standards in § 774.10, the VOC content limit shall be determined by classifying the coating as a flat coating or a non-flat coating, based on its gloss, as defined in § 799, and the corresponding flat or non-flat coating limit shall apply.
774.8 A manufacturer, seller, or user of an industrial maintenance coating may petition the Department to apply an industrial maintenance coating with a VOC content greater than three hundred forty gallons per liter (340 g./L) if all of the following conditions are met:
(a) The industrial maintenance coating is applied outside the ozone season, normally May through September every year;
(b) The petition submitted to the Department shall contain the following information, as applicable: job requirements and descriptions, volume of coating, maximum VOC content, and a certification that a complying coating meeting the job performance requirements is not available; and
(c) If the Department grants written approval, such approval shall contain volume and VOC limit conditions. Until written approval is granted by the Department and received by the petitioner, all provisions of this section shall apply.
774.9 The Department shall not approve any petition under § 774.8 if the approvals previously granted by the Department during the calendar year, when combined with the petition under consideration, would result in excess VOC emissions for that calendar year that would exceed five percent (5%) of the annual emission reduction achieved within the District of Columbia from implementing the January 1, 2005, VOC limit for industrial maintenance coatings. Coatings subject to this provision shall be sold only if an approved petition (or a copy of it) is provided before the sale. Coatings subject to this provision shall not be available to the general public.
774.10 Notwithstanding the provisions of § 774.1, a person or facility may add up to ten percent (10%) by volume of VOC to a lacquer to avoid blushing of the finish during days with relative humidity greater than seventy percent (70%) and temperature below sixty-five degrees Fahrenheit (65° F) or eighteen degrees Celsius (18º C) at the time of application, provided that the coating contains acetone and no more than five hundred fifty grams (550 g.) of VOC per liter of coating, less water and exempt compounds, before the addition of VOC.
Table of Standards. VOC Content Limits for Architectural Coatings.
Coating Category
VOC Content Limit
(Grams VOC per liter) Flat coatings 100 Non-flat coatings 150 Non-flat high gloss coatings 250 Specialty Coatings Antenna coatings 530 Antifouling coatings 400 Bituminous roof coatings 300 Bituminous roof primers 350 Bond breakers 350 Calcimine recoater 475 Clear wood coatings: • Clear brushing lacquers 680 • Lacquers (including lacquer sanding sealers) 550 • Sanding sealers (other than lacquer sanding sealers) 350 • Varnishes 350 Concrete curing compounds 350 Concrete surface retarders 780 Conjugated oil varnish 450 Conversion varnish 725 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 Industrial maintenance coatings 340 Impacted immersion coatings 780 Low-solids coatings 120 Magnesite cement coatings 450 Mastic texture coatings 300 Metallic pigmented coatings 500 Multi-color coatings 250 Nuclear coatings 450 Pre-treatment wash primers 420 Primers, sealers, and undercoaters 200 Reactive penetrating carbonate stone sealer 600 Quick-dry enamels 250 Quick-dry primers, sealers and undercoaters 200 Recycled coatings 250 Roof coatings 250 Rust preventative coatings 400 Shellacs • Clear 730 • Opaque 550 Specialty primers, sealers, and undercoaters 350 Stains 250 Stone consolidants 450 Swimming pool coatings 340 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
SOURCE: Notice of Final Rulemaking published at 58 DCR 11286, 11397 (December 30, 2011).
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.
Conversion factor: one pound VOC per gallon (U.S.) is equivalent to one hundred nineteen and ninety-five one hundredths grams per liter (119.95 g/L).
Units for this coating are grams of VOC per liter (pounds of VOC/gallon) of coating, including water and exempt compounds