What's New List Serve Post Display

First in country regulations curb greenhouse gas emissions from
consumer products. 

Release 08-61
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 26, 2008
	  	  	
Dimitri Stanich
(916)322-2990
cell (916)716-8047
www.arb.ca.gov

California adopts regulations curbing greenhouse-gas emissions
from consumer-products

New regulations curb climate changing, smog forming and toxic
emissions

SACRAMENTO: Today the Air Resources Board approved regulations
limiting emissions of climate-changing chemicals from air
canisters used to blow dust off equipment such as computer
keyboards to cameras, the nation's first for consumer products.

In addition to greenhouse gases, the board's decision will
reduce smog forming emissions and toxic air contaminants. The
regulation establishes specifications for consumer products that
will annually reduce:

    * carbon dioxide equivalent greenhouse gases by 200,000
metric tons;
    * smog-forming volatile organic compounds by 2,000 tons;
and,
    * toxic air contaminants by over 70 tons. 

The greenhouse gas cuts will come from replacing the use of
HFC-134a with HFC-152a in gas-duster canisters. HFC-134a is
known to have a massive heat-trapping potentialand is rated
1,300 times more damaging to the climate than carbon dioxide.

"We are getting a lot of bang for our buck on this regulation
because these seemingly benign air canisters emit an especially
potent greenhouse gas," said ARB Chairman Mary Nichols. "This
measure also reduces ozone and other toxic air contaminants with
a viable propellant alternative readily available so consumers
shouldn't see much change in the effectiveness of these
products."

ARB monitors and controls emissions from all chemically
formulated consumer products because of their potential
contribution to ground level ozone. The agency's authority was
extended to reduce climate-changing emissions with the passage
of AB32 in 2006.

The removal of HFC-134a from gas-duster canisters is the second
regulation passed as measure aimed at reducing greenhouse gas
emissions while ARB works on a "scoping plan" that will lay out
the agenda for reducing California's greenhouse gas emissions to
1990 levels.

For more information on the consumer products regulation go to:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/consprod/regact/cpwg2008/cpwg2008.htm .

For more information on climate change and AB32 go to:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/cc.htm .

The Air Resources Board is a department of the California
Environmental Protection Agency. ARB's mission is to promote and
protect public health, welfare, and ecological resources through
effective reduction of air pollutants while recognizing and
considering effects on the economy. The ARB oversees all air
pollution control efforts in California to attain and maintain
health based air quality standards.

#####