South Coast Air Quality Management District

Issue RFP to Assess, Develop and Demonstrate Low-VOC Cleaning Solvents for Cleaning of Lithographic Printing Ink Application Equipment

SYNOPSIS:

Rule 1171 – Solvent Cleaning Operations, requires assessment of low-VOC cleaning solvent technologies for the cleaning of lithographic printing ink application equipment relative to 2005 VOC limits. This RFP will solicit proposals for the assessment, development and demonstration of low-VOC cleaning solvents for cleaning of lithographic printing ink application equipment. If such solvents are successfully developed and implemented, approximately 4 tons per day of VOC emissions could be reduced. AQMD funding shall not exceed $200,000.

COMMITTEE:

Technology, June 22, 2001, Recommended for Approval

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Approve issuance of RFP #P2002-09 to assess, develop and demonstrate low-VOC cleaning solvents for cleaning of lithographic printing ink application equipment relative to 2005 VOC limits in Rule 1171, in an amount not to exceed $200,000 from the Advanced Technology, Outreach and Education Fund.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

Solvent cleaning operations are one of the major sources of volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions in the Basin. These operations remove contaminants such as dirt, soil, grease, uncured coatings, adhesives, and inks. Rule 1171 – Solvent Cleaning Operations, was originally adopted on August 2, 1991, to regulate VOC emissions from solvent cleaning operations during the production, repair, maintenance, or servicing of parts, products, tools, machinery, equipment, or general work areas. Since its original adoption, Rule 1171 has become a key component of AQMD’s ozone reduction strategy and has been amended several times for additional VOC emission reductions.

Rule 1171 was last amended on October 8, 1999 to achieve additional VOC emission reductions required by the AQMP (CM#97ADV-CLNG). In this amendment, additional VOC emission reductions from the cleaning of ink application equipment used in lithographic printing operations will be achieved in two steps by lowering the VOC limits on December 1, 2001 and July 1, 2005. The current limits for these operations are 900 grams per liter and 10 mm Hg composite partial pressure, whereas the substantially lower July 1, 2005 limits are: 100 grams per liter for roller wash, blanket wash, and on-press components, and 25 grams per liter for removable press components. Staff believes that a six-year lead-time, from the date of amendment will allow for the development of compliant materials that are both effective and safe. The development of compliant materials may be achieved by the use of aqueous or semi-aqueous technologies, exempt compound substitutions, or the development of new cleaning materials or technologies.

In addition, the October 8, 1999 amendment also requires the Executive Officer to complete, by July 1, 2004, a Technology Assessment of low-VOC technologies for cleaning of lithographic printing ink application equipment to evaluate the status of year 2005 VOC limits. The Executive Officer is also required to report to the Governing Board, progress in technology development and whether the 2005 VOC limits are feasible.

Through this RFP, AQMD is soliciting proposals to assess, develop, and demonstrate low-VOC cleaning systems for cleaning of lithographic printing ink application equipment under the Rule 1171 technology assessment requirement.

Proposal

The objective of the proposed project is to determine if materials can continue to be expected for the 2005 VOC limits in Rule 1171 for cleaning of lithographic printing ink application equipment. This objective will be accomplished by the assessment, development, and demonstration of the existing and the newly developed low-VOC cleaning systems.

The project will involve collection of information on typical cleaning practices including the solvents and cleaning methods that are currently used for the cleaning operations subject of this study. Existing and new cleaning solvents will be reformulated, developed, and tested at end-users’ facilities to determine the lowest feasible VOC contents. The project will also include the comparison of cleaning performance, cost-effectiveness, environmental impacts, and health-related trade-offs for the high-VOC systems currently used and the newly reformulated/developed low-VOC systems.

The conclusions and analysis of testing will be presented in a final report which will include a description of the testing program, the types of testing that were conducted, the optimal alternative in each case, and the cost comparison of using the high-VOC solvents and the low-VOC alternatives.

Outreach

In accordance with the AQMD’s consulting and contracting policies, a public notice advertising the RFP and inviting bids will be published in the following publications:
 

1.	Antelope Valley Press	10.	La Opinion	19.	Precinct Reporter
2.	Black Voice News	11.	La Voz	20.	Rafu Shimpo
3.	Chinese Daily News	12.	Los Angeles Daily News	21.	Riverside Press Enterprise
4.	Eastern Group Publications	13.	Los Angeles Sentinel	22.	San Bernardino Sun
5.	El Chicano	14.	Los Angeles Times	23.	Santa Clarita Signal
6.	Excelsior, The	15.	M/W/DVBE Source	24.	State of California Contracts
7.	Inland Empire Hispanic News	16.	Orange County Register		Register
8.	Inland Valley Daily Bulletin	17.	Palm Springs Desert Sun
9.	Korea Central Daily	18.	Philippine News

Notice of the RFP will be mailed to the Black and Latino Legislative Caucuses and various minority chambers of commerce and business associations; and placed on the Internet at AQMD’s Web site [http://www.aqmd.gov, "Business and Job Opportunities" icon] and AQMD’s bidder’s 24-hour telephone message line (909) 396-2724.

Benefits to AQMD

The proposed project is included in the March 2001 update of the Technology Advancement Plan under Project 2001CFS2-1, "Development and Demonstration of Near-Zero or Zero-VOC Products." The major benefit of this project is to assist industry in developing feasible low-VOC cleaning systems for cleaning operations discussed above. This will, in turn, result in significant VOC emission reductions due to certification and commercialization of new low-VOC systems. If successfully identified, developed and commercialized, the new cleaning systems may reduce VOC emissions by about 4 tons per day by 2005.

Resource Impacts

The total AQMD funding for the work contemplated under this RFP will not exceed $200,000. Staff anticipates that the proposers will seek additional co-funding. Cost -sharing is one of the proposals’ evaluation criteria, as specified in the RFP.

Sufficient funds are available from the Advanced Technology, Outreach and Education Fund. This fund was established as a special revenue fund for revenues received as a result of fines, penalties, and settlements from air pollution violations. These settlement payments by the violators are to be used by the AQMD for research, development, public outreach and education related to advanced technology and to air pollution and its impacts.

Attachment

RFP #P2002-09 - Assess, Develop, and Demonstrate Low-VOC Systems for Cleaning of Lithographic Printing Ink Application Equipment

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