Section 290. Exemptions

A. This article shall not apply to any consumer product manufactured in the applicable volatile organic compound emissions control areas designated in 9VAC5-45-280 C for shipment and use outside of those areas.

B. The provisions of this article shall not apply to a manufacturer or distributor who sells, supplies, or offers for sale a consumer product that does not comply with the VOC standards specified in 9VAC5-45-310 A, as long as the manufacturer or distributor can demonstrate both that the consumer product is intended for shipment and use outside of the applicable volatile organic compound emissions control areas designated in 9VAC5-45-280 C, and that the manufacturer or distributor has taken reasonable prudent precautions to assure that the consumer product is not distributed to those applicable volatile organic compound emissions control areas. This subsection does not apply to consumer products that are sold, supplied, or offered for sale by any person to retail outlets in those applicable volatile organic compound emissions control areas.

C. The medium volatility organic compound (MVOC) content standards specified in 9VAC5-45-310 A for antiperspirants or deodorants shall not apply to ethanol.

D. The VOC limits specified in 9VAC5-45-310 A shall not apply to fragrances up to a combined level of 2.0% by weight contained in any consumer product and shall not apply to colorants up to a combined level of 2.0% by weight contained in any antiperspirant or deodorant.

E. The requirements of 9VAC5-45-310 A for antiperspirants or deodorants shall not apply to those volatile organic compounds that contain more than 10 carbon atoms per molecule and for which the vapor pressure is unknown, or that have a vapor pressure of 2 mm Hg or less at 20°C.

F. The VOC limits specified in 9VAC5-45-310 A shall not apply to any LVP-VOC.

G. The VOC limits specified in 9VAC5-45-310 A shall not apply to air fresheners that are composed entirely of fragrance, less compounds not defined as VOCs or LVP-VOC exempted under subsection F of this section.

H. The VOC limits specified in 9VAC5-45-310 A shall not apply to air fresheners and insecticides containing at least 98% paradichlorobenzene.

I. The VOC limits specified in 9VAC5-45-310 A shall not apply to adhesives sold in containers of one fluid ounce or less.

J. The VOC limits specified in 9VAC5-45-310 A shall not apply to bait station insecticides. For the purpose of this section, bait station insecticides are containers enclosing an insecticidal bait that is not more than 0.5 ounce by weight, where the bait is designed to be ingested by insects and is composed of solid material feeding stimulants with less than 5.0% active ingredients.

K. A person who cannot comply with the requirements set forth in 9VAC5-45-310, because of extraordinary reasons beyond the person's reasonable control may apply in writing to the board for a waiver.

1. The application shall set forth:

a. The specific grounds upon which the waiver is sought, including the facts that support the extraordinary reasons that compliance is beyond the applicant's reasonable control;

b. The proposed dates by which compliance with the provisions of 9VAC5-45-310 will be achieved; and

c. A compliance report reasonably detailing the methods by which compliance will be achieved.

2. Upon receipt of an application containing the information required in subdivision 1 of this subsection, the board will hold a public hearing to determine whether, under what conditions, and to what extent, a waiver from the requirements in 9VAC5-45-310 is necessary and will be permitted. A hearing shall be initiated no later than 75 days after receipt of a waiver application. Notice of the time and place of the hearing shall be sent to the applicant by certified mail not less than 30 days prior to the hearing. Notice of the hearing shall also be submitted for publication in the Virginia Register of Regulations. At least 30 days prior to the hearing, the waiver application shall be made available to the public for inspection. Information submitted to the board by a waiver applicant shall be available to the public except where the owner makes a showing satisfactory to the board under 9VAC5-170-60 B that the information meets the criteria in 9VAC5-170-60 C, in which case the information shall be handled in accordance with the procedures specified in §§ 10.1-1314 and 10.1-1314.1 of the Air Pollution Control Law of Virginia. The board may consider both public and confidential information in reaching a decision on a waiver application. Interested members of the public shall be allowed a reasonable opportunity to testify at the hearing and their testimony shall be considered.

3. No waiver shall be granted unless all of the following findings are made:

a. That, because of reasons beyond the reasonable control of the applicant, requiring compliance with 9VAC5-45-310 would result in extraordinary economic hardship;

b. That the public interest in mitigating the extraordinary hardship to the applicant by issuing the waiver outweighs the public interest in avoiding any increased emissions of air pollutants that would result from issuing the waiver; and

c. That the compliance report proposed by the applicant can reasonably be implemented and will achieve compliance as expeditiously as possible.

4. Any waiver may be issued as an order of the board. The waiver order shall specify a final compliance date by which the requirements of 9VAC5-45-310 will be achieved. Any waiver order shall contain a condition that specifies increments of progress necessary to assure timely compliance and such other conditions that the board, in consideration of the testimony received at the hearing, finds necessary to carry out the purposes of the Virginia Air Pollution Control Law and the regulations of the board.

5. A waiver shall cease to be effective upon failure of the party to whom the waiver was granted to comply with any term or condition of the waiver order.

6. Upon the application of anyone, the board may review and for good cause modify or revoke a waiver from requirements of 9VAC5-45-310.

L. The requirements of 9VAC5-45-340 A shall not apply to consumer products registered under FIFRA.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 26, Issue 12, eff. March 17, 2010.

Statutory Authority

§ 10.1-1308 of the Code of Virginia.