Effective May 4, 2007 , the Ontario Ministry of the Environment has made changes to the Recertification Requirement in Ontario's Refrigerants Regulation, O. Reg. 189/94 . Yes, the training overkill has finally come to an end. recertification courses are no longer required for technicians wishing to renew their Ozone Depletion Prevention (ODP) Cards.

Note: The revised Regulation stipulates that technicians "who have never been certified", and those "whose cards have already expired", (see date on card,) are still required to complete the ODP Card course and examination. Technicians obtaining the required passing grade of 75% will thereafter receive a new card that's valid for 5 years from the examination date - following this time they will be required to renew their cards again.

Technicians with cards that bear an expiry date beyond May 4, 2007 will not be required to undergo the training and re-examination procedure to maintain their ODP certification. Prior to the expiration date on their cards they will, however, be required to contact HRAI to obtain a renewal application. This must be filled out and returned to HRAI with the renewal fee of $50.00 + GST . That's all that need be done, but technicians must ensure they apply in a timely manner. We recommend 45 days be allowed for the renewal process.

"Click Here" to view Official Notice of Regulation Change from MOE.

"Click Here" for Renewal Letter and Form to download and print.

If you have any questions regarding the changes to the Refrigerants Regulation, please contact Frances Ricci at the AARO offices:
1-800-268-5400.

(SEE HEADLINES)

SCRAP METAL HAULER SENTENCED 180 DAYS IN JAIL FOR ENVIRONMENTAL VIOLATIONS

WINDSOR -Kevin Briggs, a scrap metal hauler in Essex County, has been sentenced to a total of 180 days in jail after being convicted of three waste management offences.

Kevin Briggs operates a scrap metal hauling business in Essex County under the unregistered name Active Junk Recycling.

The Court heard that in June 2004, Briggs was hired by a manufacturing and tool shop located on Silver Creek Industrial Drive in Tecumseh to remove scrap steel, and empty, full and partially full barrels of liquid industrial wastes.

Briggs and his assistant deposited the barrels at two rural properties occupied by acquaintances who were told that the storage would be temporary.  However, Briggs failed to return and remove the barrels.  The Ministry of the Environment (MOE) was eventually contacted about the matter.

An investigation conducted by the MOE's Investigations and Enforcement Branch revealed that Briggs did not have a Certificate of Approval (C of A) to operate a waste management system, nor were there Cs of A issued for waste disposal at the two rural properties.

Following the investigation, charges were laid.

Justice of the Peace Allan Murphy found Kevin Briggs guilty of operating a waste management system without a C of A, and two counts of depositing waste at an unapproved site.  The first offence was a violation of section 27(1)(a) of the Environmental Protection Act (EPA) , and the latter two offences were violations of section 40 of the EPA .

Briggs was sentenced to 60 days in jail consecutive for each offence.  Prosecuting counsel was unopposed on this matter, as Briggs failed to attend the trial.

Justice of the Peace Murphy sentenced Briggs on October 26, 2006 in the Ontario Court of Justice in Windsor. (see headlines)

May 31, 2006 FORT FRANCES — Pro-Shine has been fined $1,200, plus a victim fine surcharge, after pleading guilty to violating the Environmental Protection Act (EPA).
Pro-Shine is an automobile repair and finishing business located at 300 Pit Road #2 in the town of Fort Frances, Ontario.

The Court heard that on June 15, 2005, a routine inspection by a Provincial Officer with the Ministry of the Environment found that the company did not have a Certificate of Approval (C of A) for its paint-spray booth.

A Provincial Officer’s Order was issued to Pro-Shine requiring the company to complete and submit an application for a C of A for the operation of the spray booth. The company did not comply with this requirement and, following an investigation by the ministry’s Investigations and Enforcement Branch, charges were laid.

Pro-Shine was fined $1,200 after pleading guilty to failure to comply with a Provincial Officer’s Order by not submitting an application for a C of A under Section 9 of the EPA.
The Court was told that the company later hired a consultant to prepare an application for a C of A.

Justice of the Peace Pat Clysdale-Cornell heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice in Fort Frances, Ontario, on April 28, 2006.
(see headlines)

BUSINESS OWNER FINED $500 FOR VIOLATION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT

ST. CATHARINES — A local business owner has been fined $500, plus a victim fine surcharge, after pleading guilty to violating the Environmental Protection Act (EPA).
Queenstar Auto Collision and Sales was owned by Edgar Gonzalez and was located at 142 Cushman Road in St. Catharines.

The Court heard that during an inspection on August 20, 2002, a Provincial Officer with the Ministry of the Environment learned that a paint spray booth on the premises was operating without a Certificate of Approval (C of A).

Following an investigation by the Ministry’s Investigations and Enforcement Branch charges were laid.

Gonzalez pleaded guilty to failing to comply with a Provincial Officer’s Order by failing to complete and submit an application for a C of A contrary to Section 9 of the EPA and was fined $500 plus VFS. The Court was told that Gonzalez has ceased operating his auto collision and sales business.

Justice of the Peace Thomas P. Froese heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice in St. Catharines on April 6, 2006.

(see headlines)

BUSINESS OWNER FINED $500 FOR VIOLATION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT

ST. CATHARINES — A local business owner has been fined $500, plus a victim fine surcharge, after pleading guilty to violating the Environmental Protection Act (EPA).
Queenstar Auto Collision and Sales was owned by Edgar Gonzalez and was located at 142 Cushman Road in St. Catharines.

The Court heard that during an inspection on August 20, 2002, a Provincial Officer with the Ministry of the Environment learned that a paint spray booth on the premises was operating without a Certificate of Approval (C of A).

Following an investigation by the Ministry’s Investigations and Enforcement Branch charges were laid.

Gonzalez pleaded guilty to failing to comply with a Provincial Officer’s Order by failing to complete and submit an application for a C of A contrary to Section 9 of the EPA and was fined $500 plus VFS. The Court was told that Gonzalez has ceased operating his auto collision and sales business.

Justice of the Peace Thomas P. Froese heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice in St. Catharines on April 6, 2006.

(see headlines)

March 6, 2006

Inspection and abatement staffs from the Ministry of Environment and the Sector Enforcement Group are dropping into collision repair shops in the Hamilton area. In the last two weeks, a number of shops have contacted the HARA office and collision repair industry help line at 1-866-309-4272 with requests for assistance.

In all inspections to date, Ministry staff found that although most activities at the shop were within compliance standards, the facility often did month possess a written Certificate of Approval. In a number of shops the required training was not completed.

Any shop that receives a Certificate of Approval after May 2001 must complete a training course. (For further information contact 1-866-309-4272 or log onto www.autobodyhelp.ca under “Mandatory Training”).

The Ontario Ministry of the Environment requires that every autobody or collision repair facility that spray paints vehicles or parts of vehicles possess a valid “Certificate of Approval (Air)”. This Certificate, issued under Section 9 of the Environmental Protection Act, gives government approval for emissions coming from your shop’s paint booth, spray guns, and in some cases the gun wash stations, prep stations and paint mixing areas.

Shops need to prove that their emissions to the atmosphere are within prescribed limits. Shops use chemicals such as toluene, xylene and isocyanates that can be harmful or cause a nuisance to neighbours and must demonstrate that their emissions are within acceptable levels.We understand that many shops have found the application package and Ministry requirements far too complex and they hired engineers or environmental consultants to complete and submit the application to the Ministry. Those shops were often charged $3000.00 or more to prepare the application, in addition to the processing fee demanded by the Ministry. www.autobodyhelp.ca recognized that shops were paying far too much for this service and we have negotiated a streamlined program for shops to save them money and time.

For further information and answers to your questions, please contact us at 1-866-309-4272 or locally 905-664-7888.

TORONTO - The McGuinty government is making good on its commitment to get tough on polluters with the passage of Bill 133, the 'you spill, you pay' bill that imposes financial penalties on industrial polluters, Environment Minister Leona Dombrowsky announced today.

"Bill 133 will be a valuable compliance tool to ensure that companies take measures to prevent spills and, if they do occur, that they are rectified quickly," said Dombrowsky. "All money collected from penalties will go to a dedicated fund to assist communities in dealing with the impact of spills."

Bill 133 went to an all-party government committee hearing in late May. Based on representations by several environmental groups, industry and local community groups who appeared before the committee, numerous amendments were made to improve the bill.

Ontario now joins other Canadian jurisdictions, the United States and many countries around the world in the use of environmental penalties as a compliance and enforcement tool.

Bill 133 gives Ministry of the Environment directors the authority to impose a penalty of up to $100,000 a day to companies responsible for unlawful spills and emissions. The government intends to apply environmental penalties to those facilities affected by the Municipal-Industrial Strategy for Abatement (MISA) regulations.

"This legislation delivers real and positive change that will protect public health and the environment and help maintain clean, livable communities," Dombrowsky said.

(see headlines)

As the provincial environment Ministry looks at better handling their resources and improving on waiting time for environmental approvals for spray booths and other sources of emissions, a workshop stakeholders meeting was held recently in order to kick-off a consultation process.

This consultation process will look at how approvals and continued assurance programs could be improved.

Shops that spray paint continue to require environmental permitting (Certificates of Approval) to ensure the level of emissions from those activities is within provincial standards. Further assistance to help those shops meet and exceed the province's requirements is available in an easy-to-use format at www.autobodyhelp.ca or by calling toll-free the industry assistance line at 1-866-309-4272.

Collision repair association staff attended the meeting and were involved in discussions regarding:

How can rates of compliance be raised ?
How can the approvals program be improved to ensure greater environmental protection?
How can turn-around times for approvals be improved ?
How can the Ministry better encourage continuous improvement and pollution prevention?
How can Ministry resources be more effectively focused on the most important environmental issues ?

Comments will be forwarded to the Ministry for review and discussion. For further information please call the association's collision repair office at 1-866-309-4272 or info@ciia.com

For shops that require a Certificate of Approval, please call the office for our free assistance package.

see headlines)

AUTOBODY SCRAP METAL NOW BRINGS IN REAL DOLLARS

With scrap steel, aluminum and brass prices higher than ever, shops can make money from their scrap. Hamilton Spectator reporter Meredith Macleod highlights the new interest in recycling waste metal profitably.

The metal recycling business is getting more competitive as prices for steel continue to soar and more scavengers are in a hunt for trash for cash.

Scrap sellers William Morden and Alonzo Fewer unload scrap at Triple M Metals. He rumbles up to the scrapyard door with his neat stack of double-wide kitchen sinks piled high in an off-kilter grocery cart.It would be a very odd sight anywhere else, but in the industrial North End it's just another "entrepreneur" trying to make a living.Pickup trucks, cars, vans, bikes and wobbly wooden carts pull up in a steady stream of scrap to the Wentworth Metal Recycling on a rainy November afternoon.The metal is pulled out, sorted and weighed, cash is handed over and the material is added to a staggeringly huge pile out back.As quickly as it comes in, loaded transport trucks thunder off to plants where the metals will be shredded or bundled for their final fate in a furnace.

Metal recyclers say homeowners should plow through their garages and basements for trash they can turn into cash.Old appliances, extruded aluminum from windows and doors, bikes, old farm equipment, old cars, pots and pans, pipes and faucets, tire rims, air conditioners, radiators could all net some cash at a local scrapyard, it's all money.Prices have never been so high.There are even reports of bidding wars between scrapyards for some scrap in a homeowner's truck.Demand for scrap metal to fuel booming steel industries in China and India has spiked prices by at least 50 per cent in the past year.Scrap may seem unsightly, but it's key to making steel.Dofasco alone buys 1.4 million tonnes a year. The company's steel contains an average 40 per cent of recycled material.Between 200 and 300 customers a day file into Posner Metals on Beach Road. Some have scrounged for metal, usually from residential curbsides in the cover of night, others have bought renovation materials from contractors or old bikes, lawn mowers or screen doors from homeowners.

"People might think they could take it to a scrapyard to get $5, so they can't be bothered," said Posner general manager Michael Kam. "It might actually be worth $60 or $70."If you have scrap metal around, this month is as good as any ever to sell it."Jim is one of those sellers. He arrives at Wentworth with a pile of copper piping, aluminum rims and copper and brass from rads, on a rickety wooden cart.He and a buddy have spent all day sifting through garbage bins and hauling scrap away from garages.Their work has netted them $50.The No. 2 copper is the sweet stuff, at $1.20 per pound. Aluminum brings about 50 cents on average. Brass, nickel and stainless steel is also lucrative.

"I'm a self-taught expert," says Jim, who has three kids to feed and is struggling to get by on social assistance.He has about $150 to live on every month after paying his rent and doesn't want to give his last name because his scrap income isn't reported. He used to be one of the only ones out scavenging the streets when he started out five years ago. But high scrap prices and ever-tougher times for those on the margins has brought much more competition, he says."Too many people know about it now. It's really stressful."You can do a whole neighbourhood and not get a thing that day."But he's learned some tricks along the way. A tossed out stove isn't valuable except for the copper wire at the back. Old pots and pans often have copper in them. A scrapped toilet often has copper pipe nearby.And a building where there has been a fire is a good place to visit a lot because renovations are a gold mine."It's a learning process. I carried a magnet around for years. Basically, if it sticks, it's not worth it. Now I don't need the magnet."

Morley Balinson, another seller, says scrapyards act as "the poor man's bank."If you don't have a bank account or a debit card, you go out picking for a few hours and come in to get a few dollars," says the retired printer. He carries in a few pounds of crushed pop cans he saves and collects over a few months and gets 45 cents a pound for his efforts."It's fun. I'm not going to retire on it but I bank it up and go out for dinner every now and again."With the higher value comes increased thefts. Aluminum and copper are the primary targets. The stuff is hard to trace and smart thieves go to great lengths to make it look used before they show up to sell it, says the Hamilton police scrapyard investigator.

"We used to get maybe one or two reports a month and now we're getting that every couple of weeks," said Detective Constable Rodney Pieon, a member of the Hamilton police's BEAR unit.The yards are required to record the names, addresses and licence plates of people who bring in scrap. That's somewhat unique to Hamilton, it comes along with the Steeltown territory. And so does Pieon. He's the only scrap officer in the province.Local scrapyards generally know who is trouble, says Pieon."Most people who steal scrap in Hamilton go outside the city to sell it. The people who steal it from outside come here."Metal recyclers say scrapyards are doing a good deed. People get money for their castoffs and the material stays out oflandfills.

Triple M Metals opened a new cashyard in October on Brampton Street. It's doing a booming business - 1,144 drive-up customers offloading more than 1,000 tonnes of scrap.Some peddlers are making really good money, says Jacek Hejmej, general manager of the Triple M public yard.He says his company is trying to tackle the reputation of the industry for being tough or even unscrupulous."We treat everyone with honesty, integrity, fairness and respect. Many peddlers maybe are not very sophisticated but they deserve
respect. We're trying to change the face of this business."

(courtesy of the Hamilton Spectator)

(see headlines)

October 19, 2004

HARA, the autobody, auto refinish and collision repair trade association, today has advised both the Ontario Ministry of Environment and the Ontario Ministry of Consumer and Business Services of their concerns regarding the posting for comment of new isocyanate standards for air emissions from auto refinish facilities.

The province has posted for public comment a rationale and description of new air emission standards for types of isocyanate emissions that may escape into the atmospheres from spray-painting activity.

In the past, the isocyanates found in paint product were largely considered to be absorbed in the paint curing process with little if any entering the atmosphere. Certificate of Approval review, a mandatory permit requirement for spray-painting shops, used very low standards for examining those emissions. Recently, the Ministry has led a technical examination at three large companies in the Toronto area by trying to design a new measurement process and measuring isocyanate emissions.

Their results, discussed in a recent conference and tele-conference last week, identified that the emissions may be significantly higher that previously thought.

If new higher levels of standards are developed, it is possible, depending on modeling data and distance from other local receptors, that from 40 % to ALL auto refinish shops may find themselves non-compliant with the new standards, if adopted.

HARA has expressed a concern to government that without a thorough examination of what the cost/benefit analysis of these proposed changes, that auto refinish shops would be put in serious financial and a position of not being compliant with Ontario's environmental regulations.

HARA's President. Tony Nigro says " We anticipate that government will not want to put in standards that are so tough that most shops cannot meet them. We have no idea what emission reduction equipment may be viable or at what cost. We are asking Ontario to examine the impact of these standards in the same fashion they looked at VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds). This is a critical review for the future of all Ontario shops."

With VOC standards, it was decided that the planned costs of abatement furnaces on rooftops to capture escaping VOCs would not be practical for the auto refinish sector and HARA successfully lobbied for a new system of paint formulation changes, spay guns, training and a maintenance program producing better results was adopted by industry and has reduced emissions significantly.

For a copy of HARA's written submission and technical report report to government, please access: www.ciia.com/provinces/ontario/ebr.html

HARA is the co-chair of the Government/Industry Compliance Assistance program for auto refinish facilities and was the industry representative to the federal /provincial governments that designed new VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) emission reduction standards for the Canadian Council of Ministers of Environment.

HARA provides shop and industry environmental compliance services and assists shops with meeting and exceeding government requirements. HARA has assisted over 400 Ontario shops who requested compliance help.

(see headlines)

Make Money (And Save The Environment)

If new systems could save your shop some money, and at the same time help your business be known throughout the community as an environmentally friendly operation, wouldn't this be a "win-win" situation for your bottom line?

By John Norris

There are many tangible benefits to becoming an environmentally conscious shop.

P.J. Hnatiuk is the owner of Canadian Auto Collision in Brantford, Ontario. His "less is better" campaign to reduce wastes has won his business the Small Facilities Award from the federal Canadian Council of Ministers of Environment (CCME) as well as the provincial Pollution Prevention Achievement Award.

But Hnatiuk's green friendly initiatives have also saved his shop over $12,500 by generating environmental savings through cost and waste reduction.

And the shop's activities, environmental consciousness and civic mindedness -- printed up in the local newspapers -- continue to bring new customers into the location.

One intriguing process that Hnatiuk has implemented is his home-made "Liquid Drainer".

Made of stainless steel, this small piece of equipment makes certain that the draining of clear coat from containers is complete. In one year alone, the shop rescued an extra 10.5 liters of material that would have been thrown out in the old can.

Direct payback -- return on investment -- for the equipment costs surrounding the "Liquid Drainer" was accomplished in just 2.5 months. All savings after direct payback is pure bottom line profit.

PUBLICIZE YOUR SYSTEMS

At Kelly Auto Body, owner Larry Kelly's positive exposure in the local media has featured a full page spread on his shops' money-saving environmental activities.

The coverage has resulted in many calls from current and potential customers that are pleased to see that the business is making a positive impact on the community.

A positive customer response to environmentally conscious shops comes from the consumer intuition that a business practicing pollution control is likely to be an honest repair facility.

Winning Canada's Healthy Environment Award was yet another feather in Kelly's cap.

TAKE STEPS

Shops need not invest lots of money in order to create economic and public relation successes that come from being environmentally aware. Integrating environmental actions into your shop's daily activities is easy.

A good information source for easy-to-implement action is the AIA's "Top 10 Steps To A Safer And Profitable Shop", which is available to download free at www.aiacanada.com/downloads/topten.pdf. bodyshop

John Norris is the executive director of the Hamilton District Autobody Repair Association (HARA) and can be reached at 1-866-309-4272 or hara@ciia.com.

****************

THE ENVIRO-CHECKLIST

Are you doing everything you can to protect the environment and maximizeyour profits? The list below features some tips and suggestions that'll resoundingly affect your shop's public face, and its bottom line.

REDUCING WASTE

• Use a minimum of non-returnable containers.

• Ship and store containers with lids and openings tightly sealed.

• Handle non-returnable containers as returnable containers to minimize losses.

SPRAY CLEANING EQUIPMENT

• Clean guns using approved gun-cleaning equipment between coats.

• Post instructions for the proper use of gun cleaning equipment at gun cleaning stations.

• Monitor the proper use of gun cleaning equipment.

• Keep cleaning solvents in sealed containers between uses.

• Send gun-cleaning solvents for recycling or in-house recycling.

• Clean other areas and parts with low-VOC release methods (brushes, wipers, etc).

• Control access to solvents used for cleaning, and closely monitor their use.

• Use non-VOC strippers and cleaners where feasible.

• Store and send (for disposal) used cleaning equipment and fluids in sealed containers.

OTHER EQUIPMENT CLEANING

• Post approved cleaning practices.

• Use non-VOC content cleaners where possible.

• Use non-spray cleaner application as much as possible.

• Recycle used cleaners wherever possible.

SPRAY BOOTH CLEANING

• Use specific written cleaning procedures.

• Conduct regular inspections and maintenance of air supply and exhaust performance.

• Regularly inspect spray booth filters and replace as necessary.

• Maintain application equipment for minimum overspray.

• Plan cleaning schedules to minimize cleaning cycles.

• Clean other areas with low-VOC methods (brushes, wipers, etc).

• Store VOC-containing cleaning equipment and materials in controlled access cabinets.

• Control access to solvents used for cleaning and closely monitor usage.

(see headlines)

2) Possession of a written agreement with an Ontario-licensed waste hauler

Retail collision repair and auto refinish shops must possess a written agreement with an Ontario-licensed waste hauler (see: http://www.autobodyhelp.ca/waste.html) As long as the shop has this agreement in place and can prove that specific volumes of paint and/or solvents are being picked up, even if the hauler dumps the wastes improperly, our experience is that the shop will not be charged. The shop must be able to prove by records, which include amounts and dates, that they are using a licensed hauler.

A number of shops have negotiated better priced agreements with haulers for those services in a competitive environment. Your paint company may also have an arrangement with a licensed waste hauler that could be used. We would strongly suggest that your shop investigate the use of a solvent recycler

3) Reporting of emissions under Ontario Regulation 127/01

Shops are required to meet the conditions of the new Ontario Regulation 127/01 and report before July 1, 2003. This regulation deals with emissions to air from your shop and their measurement. (see: http://www.autobodyhelp.ca/regulation.html) If your shop uses less than 3000 kilograms of coating materials, paint or solvent in a year, HARA has worked to amend the rules so that you need do nothing. If your shop uses over 3000 kilograms of coating materials, paint or solvent annually, you need to print out a letter available from HARA and put it on your company letterhead and once signed, mail to the address shown. Your paint supplier can help you determine how much solvent and paint your shop uses in one year. If your shop emits over 10 tonnes (10,000 kilograms) annually of VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) then a separate, more complex report is required and you will likely need our engineer's assistance. Please call HARA at 1-866-309-4272 or e-mail hara@ciia.com. A federal requirement called NPRI may also kick-in at this level of emission.

Please also remember that shops that have accidental spills of chemicals, paints, solvents and other materials have a requirement to notify the Spills Action Centre and their local municipality. (see: http://www.autobodyhelp.ca/spills.html)

(see headlines)

NEW PAINT COMPANY TRAINING PARTNERSHIP ANNOUNCED

Trade Associations Work Together On Auto Body-Shop Training Initiative

The Canadian Paint and Coatings Association (CPCA), representing all major auto refinish coatings manufacturers in Canada, and the Hamilton District Autobody Repair Association (HARA), today announced a series of new training opportunities for body-shop owners. These new training programs will help shop owners meet environmental compliance requirements, reduce emissions from paint use in shops, and provide profitability tips to help shop owners improve their bottom line.

Manufacturers Provide Training

The new three and a half hour instructor-led training course, “Profit from Good Environmental Management”, is available through the following CPCA member companies which manufacture auto refinish coatings: Akzo Nobel Coatings Inc., BASF Canada, DuPont Canada Inc., PPG Canada Inc., and Sherwin-Williams Canada Inc. Courses will be given at their training facilities in Ontario and some companies are also offering them at outside locations. For those who cannot attend any instructor-led course, the training is also available on the Internet and CD-ROM.

Course Required By Ministry

Ontario’s Ministry of the Environment has ruled that all auto refinish shops must comply with Ontario’s regulation on air emissions by obtaining a Certificate of Approval from the Ministry for any paint spray booth that emits to the air. One requirement of the C of A is that the shop’s employees must successfully complete a training course and these new association programs will assist shop owners in meeting this requirement.

Many Benefits

Richard Murry, President of the Canadian Paint and Coatings Association says, “This new training package allows member companies to help ensure that their products are being used properly. It also assists their customers meet environmental compliance standards and provides the shop ways of reducing costs”. John Norris, Executive Director of the Hamilton District Autobody Repair Association (HARA), echoes his comments, “The course was deliberately designed using local shop videos and examples. This will help owners learn by seeing how much money their competitors are saving through good environmental management.”

The instructor-led program was pilot tested by two coatings firms earlier this year and the Internet version, provided through the Canadian Automotive Institute in Barrie, Ontario, was offered for government viewing and comment in July. Jan Kelley Marketing of Burlington designed and developed the CD-ROM version. CPCA and the auto body association contributed funding to ensure the program’s successful development. As Ontario’s requirements for body-shops match the standards and guidelines outlined by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, more provinces are expected to mandate similar training for auto refinish shop employees in the future.

The coatings and auto refinish industry associations wish to thank the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, the Ontario Ministry of Environment, and Environment Canada for their help in developing this program.

Registration Information

To register for the next instructor-led training course, body-shop owners should contact their coatings company supplier. Internet and CD-ROM training inquiries should be directed to
1-866-309-HARA (4272)

An outline of the course is available at: http://www.ciia.com/provinces/ontario/itraining.html.

(see headlines)

TORONTO – The Ministry of Environment and Energy has ordered 98 autobody shops and auto repair garages to take immediate corrective action to comply with Ontario’s environmental laws. The ministry’s actions result from an inspection sweep by the Environmental SWAT Team, which to date has targeted 116 autobody shops and auto repair garages in the Greater Toronto Area, Halton-Peel, North Bay, Ottawa, Peterborough, Sudbury and York-Durham.

“Autobody shops and auto repair garages must understand their legislative responsibilities and achieve 100 per cent compliance with our environmental laws,” said Environment and Energy Minister Chris Stockwell. “Our Environmental SWAT Team will continue to target this sector and highlight the environmental improvements that this industry has to make.”

During the inspections, the team found problems that included improper record keeping, improper operation of equipment and in some instances potential illegal disposal of waste. As a result, the officers issued 104 Provincial Officer Orders and 12 tickets/summonses under the Provincial Offences Act, and referred a number of cases to the ministry’s Investigations and Enforcement Branch for further review.

“As an association that represents over 300 collision repair and auto refinish shops and garages, we are working closely with the ministry to develop programs to help our members improve their environmental compliance,” said John Norris, Executive Director of the Hamilton District Autobody Repair Association. “We recognize that the information collected by SWAT helps reveal recurring environmental problems and helps us better understand how we, as an association, can help shops.”

The Environmental SWAT Team was formed in the fall of 2000 as part of this government’s commitment to protecting the environment. To date, the team has completed more than 1,200 inspections in a variety of sectors.

(see headlines)

Environment Ministry and auto refinish industry pilot shop support package

July 25, 2002

The Ontario Ministry of Environment and Energy and a Collision Repair Association signed an agreement known as the Compliance Assistance Pilot Project.

This project, started in mid-2002, will assist auto refinish shops to meet and exceed legal environmental compliance requirements by using a web-based “one-step” simplified compliance assistance method. Information and application or reporting forms will be streamlined to save time and money and will be available on-line. Facilities can start their Certificate of Approval process, (using one page rather than the current 80+ pages), any mandatory emissions reporting or their sewer by-law reporting (Toronto), simply easily and more inexpensively.

Shops are encouraged to handle these compliance duties on-line and the trade association will assist them in answering any questions they may have.

The program has three major features:

1) To pilot test a single-window web-based information and communication technology to improve compliance rates and environmental performance of the participating facilities

2) To conduct compliance assessments to provide advice on changes required to improve environmental performance at a number of auto refinish facilities

3) To develop a solvent database for the sector

Additionally, shops are encouraged to go further than minimum compliance levels and go from simply a “bronze” level of environmental activity to a “silver” or “gold” level which includes pollution prevention, environmental management systems, all the way up to ISO14001 environmental standard.

There is no charge for this service during the pilot period and both independent and chain/dealer/franchise auto refinish shops can enter the on-line system.

Multiple shop owners or chain/franchise operations would also be able to access the computer program to verify company shop information and work-in-progress.

For further information please contact www.ciia.com at
1-866-309-4272) or the Ontario Ministry of Environment and Energy at (416) 314-8072. An expanded notice of the program is available at www.ciia.com under “Compliance”
(see headlines)

SOLVENT RECYCLING EXPLAINED
Larry Bergmann, a Uni-ram rep and a partner in Specialty Product Sales,
shows how simple and cost-effective solvent recycling can be for any size autobody shop.

I am often asked to explain solvent recycling, both the process and the benefits. It seems that there is much confusion and misinformation within the industry regarding the effectiveness, the safety and the environmental impact of recycling. Legislation at the municipal, provincial and federal levels is pending or in place (as in the Greater Vancouver Regional District) that will require the use of gun washers and an approved solvent disposal or recovery plan. Now is the opportune time to evaluate fully the benefits of in house recycling.

Let¹s start by first of all dispelling two myths: that recycling is dangerous and that ecycling is some new sort of "sophisticated rocket science." Both of these myths can be explained by taking time to look at what the objectives are and what is involved in the recycling process. The immediate goal is to eliminate the costly disposal of solvents used in
the painting process while having a readily available supply of good quality cleaning solvent on hand. When used on its own, the solvent recycler can save money almost immediately. But when used as part of an over-all shop program geared to improving efficiency, the savings are dramatic.

Incorporating the environmental basic three R¹s (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) will have an effect on the environment and, perhaps as important, a positive impact on your bottom line.

Solvent recycling itself is not new, having been around in large-scale industrial applications, as well as the dry cleaning business, for many years. What is new, over the past 10 years or so, is the evolution of a safe, affordable and easy-to-operate recycler suitable for the autobody industry.

Okay solvent and storing it in airtight containers to prevent both evaporation and condensation from occurring. When you have enough to recycle (four or five gallons), transfer it to the recycler. Secure the lid, check the temperature settings, place a clean can at the recovery outlet and press the start button. In three to five hours you will have three-and-a-half to four-and-a-half gallons of clean, cool solvent ready for immediate use.
How does it work? All solvents boil at different temperatures, with the thinner or lighter components boiling first (thinners, diluents, reducers). By selecting an appropriate temperature and heating the solvent in a contained tank to that temperature, the thinner components boil off. The steam produced during this boiling cycle is captured and then cooled or condensed so it returns to liquid form and flows to the recovery container.
The Uni-ram URS Solvent Recyclers will recover more than 98 per cent of the
solvents so that at the end of the cycle all that is left in the tank are the paint solids and the heavier solvent components.

Depending on the temperature selected at the start, the residue in the tank will be hard and dry and ready for immediate disposal or somewhat moist with the consistency of thick pea soup. The latter will require a couple of days to dry and harden completely before final disposal. The use of a high temperature nylon recycling bag is strongly recommended as it greatly aids in clean up and residue disposal.

All solvent recyclers operate on the same basic theory, but the actual units vary widely in design. The recycler can be broken down into three major parts, the heating system, the cooling system and the control and monitoring system.

The heating system consists of a tank made from steel or aluminum and incorporating a built in electric heating element or an oil-heating jacket. Some tanks are anodized aluminum, some are Teflon coated, and some contain built-in bag holders.
The cooling system usually is made up of a copper-cored condenser that is cooled by air or water moving through it. The air can be from an internal fan or an external source such as the shop¹s compressor. In most cases the water is from an external source.

When you get down to controls and monitoring systems, the differences become much greater. Some units have computer-controlled systems that monitor the temperature in the tank and condenser and regulate the recycler¹s operation accordingly. What this does is shorten the cycle time automatically depending on the level of contamination of the dirty solvent and the subsequent boiling times. Other units have manual or fixed timers and fixed
temperature settings.

The issue of safety is paramount. It is critical that solvent recyclers meet
at least the following safety standards:

1. Certified explosion proof, Class 1, Division 1, Group D.
2. UL Standard 2208.
3. CSA Standard 22.2 number 30 & number 88.

These standards ensure that the unit has been tested and approved for use anywhere in the body shop environment. The location within the shop is important, as the recycler should be located in close proximity to main solvent use areas. The area around and the recycler itself should be kept clean. Simple maintenance will insure the unit operates well and safely at all times.

Is a recycler right for your shop? The answer is almost always yes. Still
not sure? Do this little test.

? How much solvent do you use per month?
? How much are you paying to dispose of dirty solvent?
? How much are you paying for new solvent?
? What is your total cost per gallon?

Surprising isn¹t it! The average shop will find that the total cost per gallon is much higher than anticipated. With a recycler your new solvent purchases will be reduced to about 10 per cent and your operating cost of the recycler will be about 50 cents per gallon. Even the smallest shops will be able to pay for the recycler in a short period of time, often less than a year.

You now have complete control of your solvent. Start with a good quality solvent and it will last a long time. No more highly acidic gun wash to destroy your expensive spray guns. You control the quality, the frequency and the costs.

Choose the right recycler for your shop. Now that you are convinced recycling is right for your shop, all that remains is to select the right machine. Consider the reputation of the manufacturer and the vendor. How long have they been manufacturing or selling recyclers? Look at the machine itself < does it have all required approvals? Will it require much
maintenance? Will the heating oil have to be replaced? At what cost? Is it easy to operate? Does it require additional sources for water or air? Is the size right for your shop? How about electrical supply? Does it require 120 or 240-volt service?

Make sure you have complete answers to all of these questions before making your decision.

Uni-ram Corporation of Markham, Ontario has manufactured solvent recyclers for more than 10 years and offer a full range of fully approved "explosion proof" recyclers with the capacity and features to suit your individual shop requirements. For more information please contact Uni-ram Corporation at 800-417-9133. Uni-ram is represented in Canada by Speciality Product Sales. Contact SPS in Calgary at (403) 271-9270 or in Ontario at
(519) 856-4234 .

Larry Bergmann is a partner in Speciality Product Sales and has been in the automotive aftermarket 24 years, the last eight as a manufacturer¹s rep specializing in PBE. He can be contacted by email at: larry@spsales.com

Copyright Collision Quarterly winter 2001/2002 issue

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These are the proposals from HARA to the Ontario Ministry of Environemnt fo