Regulation 127/01

Mandatory emissions monitoring and reporting for auto refinish facilities
(Ontario regulation #127/01)

Auto refinish shops in the province must report their emissions, preferably in an electronic form, to the Ontario Ministry of Environment.

This reporting is due by July 1, 2003 and covers the period from January 1, 2002 to December 31, 2002

However, after a number of discussions between the Ministry and the collision repair trade association, a number of "thresholds" were agreed upon:

- The facility can reasonably be expected to use 3,000 kilograms or more of coating materials during the year.

- The facility can reasonably be expected to use 3,000 kilograms or more of solvents during the year.

Auto refinish facilities that are below these thresholds DO NOT have to report.

Facilities that exceed these thresholds will have to examine their emissions and determine and identify the type of emissions and quantity of these emissions.

Further, shops that exceed a further threshold of 10 tonnes per year of Volatile Organic Compounds will be required to do a much more in-depth review and reporting of their emissions.

If you have any questions on this form as your shop moves towards or beyond environmental compliance , you can contact the office 1-866-309-4272. An online version of this questionnaire is planned for inclusion on the industry web site at www.ciia.com

It is expected that these web-based tools and / or information on how to access them will be available for shops to use for the reporting requirement at www.ciia.com under "Compliance"

SCAM ALERT

February 4, 2005

Member shops are receiving aggressive sales calls from an engineering firm advising that they must file an emissions summary under Ontario Regulation 127/01 and a federal requirement called National Pollutant Release Inventory or NPRI. Shops are told that the shop will be in violation of new federal and provincial regulations and must complete an authorization to hire their consultant at a minimum $600 fee to complete this work. An authorization contract is faxed to the shop, whether requested or not. Shops should be aware, that work by the Autobody trade association has been successful in modifying this regulation. Since 2001, shops that can reasonably be expected to use less than 3,000 kilograms of coating materials during the year or less than 3,000 kilograms of solvents during the year are exempt from this reporting.

The vast majority of collision repair and paint facilities do not meet this threshold and need do nothing to meet the regulation requirement. Shops that emit over 10 tonnes of emissions annually (less than half of one percent of shops),however, need to report. Most shops that have already hired and paid this firm would have received a consultant's report advising them that their shop already meets the regulatory requirements and need do nothing. The Autobody trade association has reached an agreement with this firm to cease and desist from this activity and the firm has agreed to contact their current clients and to inform all those that may contact them of this exemption. Member shops are urged to call the office at 1-866-309-4272 for more information.

PRICING ALERT

Complaints are being received that shops are paying from $2800 to $6600 for a provincial Certificate of Approval for their spray booth and paint operations. Facilities that spray paint are required to possess a valid Certificate of Approval issued by the Ontario Ministry of Environment. This Certificate is sometimes called a Section 9 or Air Permit or Booth Permit. This requirement has been in place for over 20 years and the trade association has worked
with the Ministry to provide a one-page simplified application package rather then the current 82-page process. The trade association uses consultants that are "capped" at a $1200 fee for their complete work. Because this lower capped price from they are known in the engineering and consultant marketplace, shops are sometimes quoted this fee and receive a $1200 invoice from outside consultants, marked "Initial Fee". Once the work is accomplished the
consultant sends the shop a much larger second invoice. Complaints have also been received of consultants receiving the cheque for expected work and disappearing. Be aware that other organizations are advertising this service and use consultants that charge $3000 or over for this "service". Please call the office for any information or if you need this "permit" work done at 1-866-309-4272 or view: http://www.autobodyhelp.ca/explanation.html

PROVINCIAL OFFENSES ORDERS

Over 200 auto refinish facilities have received an enforcement group generated provincial offense order to obtain this "Certificate of Approval". If an order was issued to you, it can be a very serious legal matter if you do not proceed and obtain that Certificate, however, do not be rushed into using any consultant in the phone book without checking with your industry trade association. Call the office at 1-866-309-4272 for more information or access information on the SWAT team at: http://www.autobodyhelp.ca/swat.html