Regulatory Text: 
Chapter 115.  Control of Air Pollution from Volatile Organic Compounds.

SUBCHAPTER E : SOLVENT-USING PROCESSES

DIVISION 4 [E:4] :  OFFSET LITHOGRAPHIC PRINTING 
As approved by EPA July 16, 2001 (66 FR 36917) effective September 14, 2001 (TXd21).

Outline:
§115.440.  Offset Printing Definitions.
§115.442.  Control Requirements.
§115.443.  Alternate Control Requirements.
§115.445.  Approved Test Methods.
§115.446.  Monitoring and Recordkeeping Requirements.
§115.449.  Counties and Compliance Schedules.


§115.440.  Offset Printing Definitions.
As adopted by TNRCC February 24, 1999, effective March 21, 1999 (5-61).
Approved by EPA 04/06/2000 (65 FR 18003) effective 06/05/2000 (TXd07).

     The following terms, when used in this division (relating to Offset Lithographic Printing), shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.  Additional definitions for terms used in this division are found in §115.10 of this title (relating to Definitions), §101.1 of this title (relating to Definitions), and §3.2 of this title (relating to Definitions).

          (1)  Alcohol - An alcohol is any of the hydroxyl-containing organic compounds with a molecular weight equal to or less than 74.12, (which includes methanol, ethanol, propanol, and butanol).

          (2)  Alcohol substitutes - Nonalcohol additives that contain volatile organic compounds (VOC) and are used in the fountain solution.  Some additives are used to reduce the surface tension of water; others (especially in the newspaper industry) are added to prevent piling (ink build-up).

          (3)  Batch - A supply of fountain solution that is prepared and used without alteration until completely used or removed from the printing process.

          (4)  Cleaning solution - Liquids used to remove ink and debris from the operating surfaces of the printing press and its parts.

          (5)  Fountain solution - A mixture of water, nonvolatile printing chemicals, and an additive (liquid) that reduces the surface tension of the water so that it spreads easily across the printing plate surface.  The fountain solution wets the nonimage areas so that the ink is maintained within the image areas.  Isopropyl alcohol, a VOC, is the most common additive used to reduce the surface tension of the fountain solution.

          (6)  Heatset - Any operation where heat is required to evaporate ink oil from the printing ink.  Hot air dryers are used to deliver the heat.

          (7)  Lithography - A printing process where the image and nonimage areas are chemically differentiated; the image area is oil receptive, and the nonimage area is water receptive.  This method differs from other printing methods, where the image is a raised or recessed surface.

          (8)  Non-heatset - Any operation where the printing inks are set without the use of heat.  For the purposes of this division, ultraviolet-cured and electron beam-cured inks are considered non-heatset.

          (9)  Offset lithography - A printing process that transfers the ink film from the lithographic plate to an intermediary surface (blanket) which, in turn, transfers the ink film to the substrate.

As adopted by TNRCC February 24, 1999, effective March 21, 1999 (5-61).
************************end tx 115.440*************ea65***a69**

§115.442.  Control Requirements.

(Left justified number before each paragraph is an ID Code that represents the 40 CFR 52.2270(c) section where the paragraph was last approved into the SIP.  The table in the “TX Regulation 5 Read Me & Reg 5 SIP Map” record gives State/EPA approval information for each ID code.)


104E  For the Dallas/Fort Worth, El Paso, and Houston/Galveston areas as defined in §115.10 of this title (relating to Definitions), the following control requirements shall apply:

104B       (1)  No person shall operate or allow the operation of an offset lithographic printing line that uses solvent-containing ink, unless volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions are limited by one of the following:

104B            (A)  Any person who owns or operates a heatset web offset lithographic printing press that uses alcohol in the fountain solution shall maintain total fountain solution alcohol to 5.0% or less (by volume).  Alternatively, a standard of 10.0% or less (by volume) alcohol may be used if the fountain solution containing alcohol is refrigerated to less than 60 degrees F.

105P            (B)  Any person who owns or operates a nonheatset web offset lithographic printing press which prints newspaper and that uses alcohol in the fountain solution shall eliminate the use of alcohol in the fountain solution.  Non-alcohol additives or alcohol substitutes can be used to accomplish the total elimination of alcohol use.

105P            (C)  Any person who owns or operates a nonheatset web offset lithographic printing press which does not print newspaper and that uses  alcohol in the fountain solution shall maintain the use of alcohol at 5.0% or less (by volume).  Alternatively, a standard of 10.0% or less (by volume) alcohol may be used if the fountain solution is refrigerated to less than 
60 degrees F.

105P            (D)  Any person who owns or operates a sheetfed offset lithographic printing press shall maintain the use of alcohol at 10.0% or less (by volume).  Alternatively, a standard of 12.0% or less (by volume) alcohol may be used if the fountain solution is refrigerated to less than 60 degrees F.

104B            (E)  Any person who owns or operates any type of offset lithographic printing press shall be considered in compliance with this regulation if the only VOCs in the fountain solution are in nonalcohol additives or alcohol substitutes, so that the concentration of VOCs in the fountain solution is 3.0% or less (by weight).  The fountain solution shall not contain any isopropyl alcohol.

104B            (F)  Any person who owns or operates an offset lithographic printing press shall reduce VOC emissions from cleaning solutions by one of the following methods:

105K                 (i)  using cleaning solutions with a VOC content of 50% or less (by volume, as used); or

105K                 (ii)  using cleaning solutions with a VOC content of 70% or less (by volume, as used) and incorporating a towel handling program which ensures that all waste ink, solvents, and cleanup rags shall be stored in closed containers until removed from the site by a licensed disposal/cleaning service.

104B       (2)  No person shall operate or allow the operation of a heatset offset lithographic printing press unless VOC emissions from the press dryer exhaust vent are reduced 90% by weight or a maximum dryer exhaust outlet concentration of 20 ppmv is maintained, whichever is less stringent when the press is in operation.

****************** end 115.442 ********************ea65***a69**

§115.443.  Alternate Control Requirements
As adopted by TNRCC February 24, 1999, effective March 21, 1999 (5-61).
Approved by EPA 04/06/2000 (65 FR 18003) effective 06/05/2000 (TXd07).

     For all affected persons in the Dallas/Fort Worth, El Paso, and Houston/Galveston areas, as defined in §115.10 of this title (relating to Definitions), alternate methods of demonstrating and documenting continuous compliance with the applicable control requirements or exemption criteria in this division may be approved by the executive director in accordance with §115.910 of this title (relating to Availability of Alternate Means of Control) if emission reductions are demonstrated to be substantially equivalent.

As adopted by TNRCC February 24, 1999, effective March 21, 1999 (5-61)
************************end tx 115.443*************ea65***a69**

§115.445.  Approved Test Methods.

(Left justified number before each paragraph is an ID Code that represents the 40 CFR 52.2270(c) section where the paragraph was last approved into the SIP.  The table in the “TX Regulation 5 Read Me & Reg 5 SIP Map” record gives State/EPA approval information for each ID code.)


104E  For the Dallas/Fort Worth, El Paso, and Houston/Galveston areas as defined in §115.10 of this title (relating to Definitions), compliance shall be determined by applying the following test methods, as appropriate:
104B       (1)  Test Methods 1-4 (40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 60, Appendix A) for determining flow rates;

104B       (2)  Test Method 24 (40 CFR 60, Appendix A) for determining the volatile organic compound content and density of printing inks and related coatings;

104B       (3)  Test Method 25 (40 CFR 60, Appendix A) for determining total gaseous nonmethane organic emissions as carbon.  To prevent condensation, the probe and filter should be heated to the gas stream temperature, typically closer to 350 degrees F;

104B       (4)  Test Methods 25A or 25B (40 CFR 60, Appendix A) for determining total gaseous organic concentrations using flame ionization or nondispersive infrared analysis;

105K       (5)  United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines series document "Procedures for Certifying Quantity of Volatile Organic Compounds Emitted by Paint, Ink, and Other Coatings," EPA-450/3-84-019, as in effect December, 1984; or

104B       (6)  additional performance test procedures described in 40 CFR 60.444.

****************** end 115.445 ********************ea65***a69**

§115.446.  Monitoring and Recordkeeping Requirements.
As adopted by TNRCC February 24, 1999, effective March 21, 1999 (5-61)
Approved by EPA 04/06/2000 (65 FR 18003) effective 06/05/2000 (TXd07).

     For the Dallas/Fort Worth, El Paso, and Houston/Galveston areas as defined in §115.10 of this title (relating to Definitions), the following monitoring and recordkeeping requirements shall apply.

          (1)  The owner or operator of a heatset offset lithographic printing press shall install, calibrate, maintain, and operate a temperature monitoring device, according to the manufacturer's instructions, at the outlet of the control device.  The temperature monitoring device shall be equipped with a continuous recorder and shall have an accuracy of 0.5EF.

          (2)  The owner or operator of any offset lithographic printing press shall install and maintain monitors to continuously measure and record operational parameters of any emission control device installed to meet applicable control requirements on a regular basis.  Such records must be sufficient to demonstrate proper functioning of those devices to design specifications, including:

               (A)  the exhaust gas temperature of direct-flame incinerators and/or the gas temperature immediately upstream and downstream of any catalyst bed;

               (B)  the total amount of volatile organic compound (VOC) recovered by a carbon adsorption or other solvent recovery system during a calendar month; and

               (C)  the exhaust gas VOC concentration of any carbon adsorption system, as defined in §115.10 of this title (relating to Definitions), to determine if breakthrough has occurred.

          (3)  The dryer pressure shall be maintained lower than the press room air pressure such that air flows into the dryer at all times.  A 100% emissions capture efficiency for the dryer shall be demonstrated using an air flow direction measuring device.

          (4)  The owner or operator of any offset lithographic printing press shall monitor fountain solution alcohol concentration with a refractometer or a hydrometer that is corrected for temperature at least once per eight-shift or once per batch, whichever is longer.  The refractometer or hydrometer shall have a visual, analog, or digital readout with an accuracy of 0.5% VOC.  A standard solution shall be used to calibrate the refractometer for the type of alcohol used in the fountain.  The VOC content of the fountain solution may be monitored with a conductivity meter if it is determined that a refractometer or hydrometer cannot be used for the type of VOCs in the fountain solution.  The conductivity meter reading for the fountain solution shall be referenced to the conductivity of the incoming water.

          (5)  The owner or operator of any offset lithographic printing press using refrigeration equipment on the fountain in order to comply with §115.442(a)(1)(A)-(D) of this title (relating to Control Requirements) shall monitor the temperature of the fountain solution reservoir at least once per hour.

          (6)  For any offset lithographic printing press with continuous cleaning equipment, flow meters are required to monitor water and cleaning solution flow rates.  The flow meters shall be calibrated so that the VOC content of the mixed solution complies with the requirements of §115.442 of this title (relating to Control Requirements).

          (7)  The owner or operator of any offset lithographic printing press shall maintain the results of any testing conducted at an affected facility in accordance with the provisions specified in §115.445 of this title (relating to Approved Test Methods).

          (8)  The owner or operator of any offset lithographic printing press shall maintain all records at the affected facility for at least two years and make such records available upon request to representatives of the executive director, the EPA, or the local air pollution agency having jurisdiction in the area.

As adopted by TNRCC February 24, 1999, effective March 21, 1999 (5-61).
************************end tx 115.446*************ea65***a69**

§115.449.  Counties and Compliance Schedules.
As adopted by TNRCC December 6, 2000, effective January 18, 2001 (5-69).
Approved by EPA July 16, 2001 (66 FR 36917) effective September 14, 2001 (TXd21).

      (a)  In El Paso County, all offset lithographic printing presses shall be in compliance with §§115.442, 115.443, 115.445, and 115.446 of this title (relating to Control Requirements; Alternate Control Requirements; Testing Requirements; and Monitoring and Recordkeeping Requirements) as soon as practicable, but no later than November 15, 1996.

      (b)  In Collin, Dallas, Denton, and Tarrant Counties, all offset lithographic printing presses on a property which, when uncontrolled, emit a combined weight of volatile organic compound (VOC) equal to or greater than 50 tons per calendar year, shall be in compliance with §§115.442, 115.443, 115.445, and 115.446 of this title as soon as practicable, but no later than December 31, 2000.

      (c)  In Collin, Dallas, Denton, and Tarrant Counties, all offset lithographic printing presses on a property which, when uncontrolled, emit a combined weight of VOC less than 50 tons per calendar year, shall be in compliance with §§115.442, 115.443, 115.445, and 115.446 of this title as soon as practicable, but no later than one year, after the commission publishes notification in the Texas Register of its determination that this contingency rule is necessary as a result of failure to attain the national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) for ozone by the attainment deadline or failure to demonstrate reasonable further progress as set forth in the 1990 Amendments to the Federal Clean Air Act (FCAA), §172(c)(9).

      (d)  In Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, and Waller Counties, all offset lithographic printing presses on a property which, when uncontrolled, emit a combined weight of VOC equal to or greater than 25 tons per calendar year, shall be in compliance with §§115.442, 115.443, 115.445, and 115.446 of this title as soon as practicable, but no later than December 31, 2002.

      (e)  In Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, and Waller Counties, all offset lithographic printing presses on a property which, when uncontrolled, emit a combined weight of VOC less than 25 tons per calendar year, shall be in compliance with §§115.442, 115.443, 115.445, and 115.446 of this title as soon as practicable, but no later than one year, after the commission publishes notification in the Texas Register of its determination that this contingency rule is necessary as a result of failure to attain the NAAQS for ozone by the attainment deadline or failure to demonstrate reasonable further progress as set forth in the FCAA, §172(c)(9).

Adopted December 6, 2000, Effective January 18, 2001
**** end tx 115.449 adopted by TNRCC 12/06/2000 (5-69)**d21*eb9e***c1i**
*******end tx chapter 115 subchapter e division 4 ***d21**eb9e*****c1i**