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<regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".18" citation="COMAR 26.11.19.18" title_num="26" subtitle_num="11" chapter_num="19" heading="Control of Volatile Organic Compound Emissions from Screen Printing and Digital Imaging.">
  <paragraph num="A.">
    <text>In this regulation, the following terms have the meanings indicated:</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>“Acid/etch resist ink” means a material or compound applied to portions of a product, usually in a pattern, before etching, to protect the covered portions from the action of the chemical solution that removes the surface of the product being etched.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>“Anoprint ink” means a dye or compound that is screen printed on unsealed anodized aluminum before the process of sealing the anodic coating, thus trapping the dye or compound in the anodic coating.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>“Back-up coating” means a coating applied to the nondecorated side of a plywood sign.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>Clear Coating.</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>“Clear coating” means a transparent coating usually applied over a pigmented or colored coat to give improved gloss or protection to the colored coat.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>“Clear coating” does not mean overprint varnish that is used in the cosmetic industry and that is subject to FDA formulation requirements.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(5)">
      <text>“Conductive ink” means an ink for the screen printing of electronic circuits or other conductive patterns that permit electric current to flow through the printed line or pattern.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(5-1)">
      <text>“Digital imaging” means a printer that uses a computer-driven machine to transfer an electronically stored image onto the substrate through the use of inks, toners, or other similar color graphic materials. Application methods include ink jet, electrostatic, and spray jet technologies.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(6)">
      <text>“Electroluminescent ink” means a transparent conductive coating, phosphor, opaque conductive, or similar compound that is screen printed with the purpose of converting an electrical current directly into light.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(7)">
      <text>“Exterior illuminated sign” means a plastic sign that can be illuminated for its visibility at night.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(8)">
      <text>“Haze removal” means the final cleaning stage or process to remove ink residue from a used screen.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(9)">
      <text>“Ink removal” means removal of excess ink from a used screen.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(10)">
      <text>“Maximum VOC content” means the maximum content of volatile organic compounds less exempt solvents and water.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(10-1)">
      <text>“Overprint varnish” means a FDA-regulated coating that is used to prevent lipstick from adhering to the plastic film on a sample card sold to retail stores.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(11)">
      <text>“Plastic card manufacturing installation” means screen printing, lithographic printing, drying ovens, adhesive application, and laminating equipment used to produce a credit card or similar plastic card product.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(12)">
      <text>“Plywood sign coating” means a coating applied to plywood sheeting in the preparation of exterior signs.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(13)">
      <text>“Screen printing” means a printing method in which ink, clear coating, or adhesive is distributed through a tightly stretched fabric to which a refined form of stencil has been applied. The stencil and mesh openings determine the form and dimensions of the imprint.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(14)">
      <text>“Screen printing installation” means equipment including printing application equipment, flash-off areas, and dryers used to perform screen printing.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(15)">
      <text>“Screen reclamation” means removal of stencil or ghost image from a used screen.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(16)">
      <text>“Specialty inks” means acid/etch resist, anoprint, conductive, and electroluminescent inks.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(17)">
      <text>“Untreated sign paper” means a paper used in screen printing to prepare a temporary, light-weight sign or poster such as grocery store signs that are sensitive to water and water-based inks.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="B.">
    <text>Applicability.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>This regulation applies to a person, owner, or operator who:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Performs screen printing on substrates other than untreated sign paper and causes VOC emissions from all screen printing at the premises of 20 pounds or more per day excluding VOC emissions from printing on untreated sign paper;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Operates a plastic card manufacturing installation at a premises that causes VOC emissions of 20 pounds or more per day from all plastic card manufacturing installations at the premises;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Coats plywood used for signs at a premises that causes VOC emission of 20 pounds or more per day from all plywood sign coating at the premises;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>Performs screen printing on untreated sign paper at a premises that causes VOC emissions of 20 pounds or more per day from all printing on untreated sign paper at the premises; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(e)">
        <text>Performs digital imaging at a premises that causes VOC emissions of 20 pounds or more per day from all digital imaging at the premises.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Adhesives associated with screen printing operations are subject to the requirements in Regulation .15 of this chapter.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="C.">
    <text>General Requirements for Screen Printing.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>A person who owns or operates a screen printing installation subject to this regulation may not cause or permit the discharge of VOC into the atmosphere, unless the following requirements are met:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>For overprint varnish on any substrate, the maximum VOC content, as applied, may not exceed 6.03 pounds of VOC per gallon;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>For screen printing or clear coating on any substrate other than untreated sign paper, the maximum VOC content of any ink or clear coating, as applied, may not exceed 3.3 pounds of VOC per gallon (396 grams per liter);</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>For screen printing on untreated sign paper, the maximum VOC content of any ink, as applied, may not exceed 5.6 pounds of VOC per gallon; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>For screen printing using specialty inks, the maximum VOC content of any ink may not exceed the following:</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Control of VOC Emissions from Ink and Haze Removal and Screen Reclamation. A person may not cause or permit the discharge of VOC into the atmosphere from the use of any ink or haze removal and screen reclamation product unless the VOC content of the ink removal or reclamation product is less than or equal to the following:</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>Use of Control Devices. A person subject to this regulation is in compliance with the requirements of §C(1) of this regulation if the person installs and uses a control device that reduces emissions from the screen printing dryer by not less than 90 percent overall.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="D.">
    <text>General Requirements for Plywood Sign Coating. A person who owns or operates a plywood sign coating operation subject to this regulation may not cause or permit the discharge of VOC into the atmosphere from any plywood sign coating unless the VOC content of the coating, as applied, is less than or equal to the following:</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="E.">
    <text>General Requirements for Plastic Card Manufacturing Installations. A person who owns or operates a plastic card manufacturing installation subject to this regulation shall meet the following:</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>The VOC content of any ink as applied may not exceed 4.0 pounds per gallon (479 grams per liter);</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>The isopropyl alcohol content of the fountain solution used in any lithographic printing on a plastic card may not exceed 8.5 percent; and</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>If isopropyl alcohol is used in the fountain solution, the fountain solution shall be refrigerated to 55°F or less and shall be monitored by a temperature indicator mounted on the tray holding the fountain solution.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="F.">
    <text>General Requirements for Digital Imaging. A person who owns or operates digital imaging that is subject to this regulation may not cause the discharge of VOC emissions into the atmosphere in excess of 100 pounds on any day from all digital printing at the premises.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="G.">
    <text>Record Keeping. A person subject to this regulation shall maintain the following records for not less than 3 years, and make the records available to the Department upon request:</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>The total monthly consumption of inks, coatings, cleanup materials, and any other materials containing VOC used in conjunction with screen printing substrates other than untreated sign paper;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>The total monthly consumption of inks, coatings, cleanup materials, and any other materials containing VOC used in conjunction with screen printing on untreated sign paper;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>The VOC content of each ink, coating, cleanup material, or any other material containing VOC that is used at the premises; and</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>For plastic card manufacturing installations, the amount of isopropyl alcohol used each month.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
</regulation>