BOARD MEETING DATE: October 1, 2004
AGENDA NO. 6
Amend Contract with Institute for Research and Technical Assistance to Perform Additional Testing of Low-VOC Cleaners for Lithographic Printing and Textile Screen Printing
SYNOPSIS:
On August 2, 2002, the Board awarded a contract to the Institute for Research and Technical Assistance (IRTA) to assess, develop and test low-VOC solvents that meet the July 1, 2005 VOC limits in Rule 1171 for cleaning lithographic printing ink application equipment. A number of promising alternative cleaning materials were developed and successfully tested for short periods at twelve printing facilities. This action is to amend the current contract at a cost not to exceed $70,797 from the Advanced Technology, Outreach and Education Fund to: (1) conduct performance and long-term compatibility testing of alternative low-VOC cleaners for lithographic printing; and (2) assess, test, and demonstrate additional alternative low-VOC clean-up solvents for textile screen printing. The Printing Industry Association of Southern California will provide the remainder of the $80,797 total project costs for purchase of cleaning materials.
COMMITTEE:
Technology, September 24, 2004. Less than a quorum was present during the discussion of this item; the Acting Chair communicated his concurrence and recommendation that this item be forwarded for Board consideration.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Authorize the Executive Officer to amend AQMD’s current contract with IRTA to conduct performance and long-term compatibility testing of alternative low-VOC cleaners for lithographic printing and perform additional work on alternative clean-up solvents for textile screen printing, in an amount not to exceed $70,797 from the Advanced Technology, Outreach and Education Fund (Fund 17).
Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer
Background
On October 8, 1999 the Board amended Rule 1171 – Solvent Degreasing Operations, establishing significantly lower VOC limits for solvents used to perform solvent cleaning operations, effective July 1, 2005. The same amendment requires a Technology Assessment to determine if the year 2005 VOC limits are achievable for six solvent cleaning categories, and if not, recommend amendments to the Board. The Institute for Research and Technical Assistance (IRTA) assessed technologies for all categories, except lithographic and letterpress printing, and in general, concluded that VOC limits for most of the categories could be achieved.
On August 2, 2002, the Board approved a contract with IRTA to assess, develop and test low-VOC solvents that meet the July 1, 2005 VOC limits for cleaning lithographic printing ink application equipment. Under this contract, IRTA developed and successfully conducted short-term testing of a number of potential Rule 1171 compliant cleaning materials at twelve printing facilities. The Printing Industry Association expressed the need to conduct long-term compatibility testing of the newly-developed cleaning materials and perform additional work to assess, test, and demonstrate alternative low-VOC clean-up solvents for textile screen printing. Therefore, staff is requesting that the Board amend the current contract by extending the contract term through September 2005 to: (1) conduct performance and long-term compatibility testing of the newly developed alternative low-VOC cleaners for lithographic printing, and (2) assess, test, and demonstrate additional alternative low-VOC clean-up solvents for textile screen printing.
Proposal
The proposed project involves conducting performance and long-term testing of alternative low-VOC cleaning materials developed under the current contract at seven lithographic printing facilities. The project will also include working with three lithographic printing facilities to test alternative low-VOC cleaners for metering rollers, dampening rollers and plates, and three textile screen printing facilities to identify, test, and demonstrate alternative low-VOC clean-up solvents for cleaning screen printing ink application equipment.
Benefits to the AQMD
The proposed project supports the Technology Assessment required in Rule 1171 to determine the feasibility of the year 2005 VOC limits for cleaning materials used in lithographic printing. The proposed project will identify and resolve any performance and durability issues with the long-term use of alternative low-VOC cleaners, and facilitates implementation of the year 2005 VOC limits.
Sole Source Justification
Section VIII.B.2. of the Procurement Policy and Procedure identifies four major provisions under which a sole source award may be justified. This request for a sole source award is made under provision B.2.d: Other circumstances exist which in the determination of the Executive Officer require such waiver in the best interests of the AQMD. Specifically, these circumstances are: B.2.c.(1) The unique experience and capabilities of the proposed contractor or contractor team; and B.2.d.(8) Research and development efforts with educational institutions or nonprofit organizations.
The proposed project is a continuation of a technology assessment study required by Rule 1171 to assess the feasibility of the year 2005 VOC limits for cleaning solvents used in different cleaning operations and activities. Under the original study, IRTA developed and successfully conducted short-term testing of a number of promising alternative cleaning materials for lithographic printing ink equipment. The proposed project involves conducting a performance and long-term testing of the alternative cleaning materials developed by IRTA. To maintain the continuity of the current study and since IRTA has achieved important milestones, it is appropriate to conclude that IRTA has the experience and is well qualified to conduct this assessment, testing, and demonstration for AQMD.
IRTA is a non-profit institution dedicated to helping users reduce or eliminate their use of VOC solvents and other pollutants. Their work involves pollution prevention analysis, field investigation of processes, technical assistance, demonstration and evaluation of new technologies, chemicals and processes. IRTA is currently working with AQMD in developing and assessing new cleaning materials that reduce toxic and VOC emissions from lithographic and screen printing ink equipment. They have served a unique role in the Basin as a scientific body focusing on finding the lowest VOC materials feasible in a particular industry and effectively balancing toxic and ozone-depletion concerns and other environmental concerns as well in determining overall feasibility. IRTA has excellent work relationships with materials vendors and other formulators as well as brings all of the necessary expertise directly to this proposed work.
Resource Impacts
The total cost for this project is estimated to be $80,797, of which AQMD cost shall not exceed $70,797. The Printing Industry Association of Southern California will provide $10,000 in direct cash contribution.
Sufficient funds are available from the Advanced Technology, Outreach and Education Fund, established as a special revenue fund resulting from penalties and settlements from violations of air pollution control rules and regulations.
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