Mexico. The Ministry of the Environment of the Federal District decreed maximum permissible limits of emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in order to minimize polluting emissions and encourage the use of recent technologies.
The Official Gazette that published the Environmental Standard NADF-011-AMBT-2013 highlights that in the Federal District indicates that there are more than 30 thousand manufacturing companies, 196 thousand shops and 151 thousand services that are related to activities that use organic solvents, in sectors such as car repainting, architectural paintings, surface cleaning, printing workshops, among others. These activities consume 471 thousand 23 tons of organic solvents annually and emit about 106 thousand 395 thousand tons of volatile organic compounds.
For this reason the document shows the maximum permissible VOC emissions. In case of using a mixture containing more than one of the organic solvents set out in this document, the table will determine the Maximum Permissibility Limit (LMP) of VOC emission for the mixture.
To be exempt from the application of the provisions established in this standard, one of the following cases must be accredited:
- That the organic solvent used is an exempt VOC; pursuant to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), 2014. 40 Federal Regulatory Code (CFR) 51,100 subpart F-Procedural Requirements, (S), (1) exempt solvents.
- That the organic solvent used contains a maximum of 20% volatile organic compounds, as long as the maximum permissible limits are not exceeded.
- That water-based coatings are used, with a maximum content of 20% by volume of a volatile organic compound, provided that the maximum permissible limits are not exceeded.
The document indicates that the environmental standard will come into force 30 working days after its publication in the capital gazette (January 26).
With information from Notimex.
