SACRAMENTO -- The California Air Resources Board (ARB) today voted to cut
18-tons-per-day of smog-forming, volatile organic compounds (VOC) from common household products ranging from nail polish remover to glass cleaners.

        "While emissions from any one of these products are small, together they contribute significantly to air pollution," said ARB Chairman Dr. Alan Lloyd. "Combined with previous consumer products measures, today's action will cut smog-forming emissions by more than 125 tons-per-day in 2005," 
Dr. Lloyd added.

        Today's action is the fifth round of emission reductions mandated by the ARB since 1989 for various consumer products and spray paints. The new rules will phase in from 2002 to 2004, and affect 2,500 products in 17 categories.  ARB staff expects costs to increase by about two cents per item.  A number of products in each category already comply with the new limits.

        Two of the categories, sealants and caulking compounds and tire sealants and inflators,  have never been regulated before, while 15 are having their emissions reduced further from previous regulatory levels.

        Among the other 15 categories are hair mousses and nail polish removers, air fresheners, aerosol furniture maintenance products, general purpose cleaners, glass cleaners and aerosol insecticides.  Also included are auto brake cleaners, auto windshield washer fluids, carburetor or fuel-injection air intake cleaners, construction adhesives and degreasers.

        California faces a federal mandate to reduce ozone, one of the most harmful components of smog, by 2010.  To this end, the ARB in recent years has reduced harmful air emissions from automobiles, gasoline and diesel fuel, gas cans, lawn and garden equipment, watercraft, and a variety of other products and sources.
 

        The Air Resources Board, one of six departments of the California Environmental Protection Agency, is California's air pollution control 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.