Smokestacks are only the most visible sources of air pollution. In fact, less than a third of emissions actually comes from such permitted sources. The majority of air pollutants come from smaller, unregulated sources, such as vehicles and wood burning and some types of small businesses.

Last year, the MPCA provided small business grants to reduce air emissions called volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs are typically found in solvents used in printing, metal finishing, painting, and other industrial processes. The fumes you smell while filling your car with gas, or the solvent smell in an auto body shop are from  VOCs. When released into the air, VOCs combine with small particles to form harmful smog.They can also affect the health of a business’ employees and customers, and that of the surrounding community. 

So far, 13 small businesses in Minnesota have received more than $500,000 to reduce VOCs. Together, these projects will eliminate almost seven tons of VOC emissions every year, equal to more than 13,000 cans of spray paint.

“The challenges we face with air quality today are mainly from the smaller but numerous sources all around us,” said MPCA Commissioner John Linc Stine. “They form the biggest part of our air pollution and are largely unregulated, so voluntary actions are an important part of the solution. We’re glad to help get things rolling.”

This grant project is part of a larger statewide partnership known as Clean Air Minnesota, which, in total, has reduced VOCs by more than 68 tons per year, equivalent to about 136,000 cans of spray paint. Visit the MPCA VOC reduction page for more information, including a full list of grant recipients. Be sure to watch the VOC grant video, featuring Oscar’s Auto Body. Check out stories from three MPCA small business grant recipients below.

Dan Loock’s Automotive – Redwood Falls

Dan Loock’s Automotive used a $6,000 grant to buy a solvent recycler and a new water-based parts washer. Both devices reduce the businesses chemical usage, and the solvent recycler allows chemical solvents to be reused, rather than disposed of after one use. The recycling process makes the solvent much less toxic and less harsh on exposed skin, according to Loock. “When you are working with conventional solvents, it is hard on the hands,” he said. “They get dried out fast, especially in the winter.”

Loock is confident the new equipment will be better for his business. “I was skeptical at first,” he said “after all, the products we’d been using worked.” But he’s sold on the new products.

And the MPCA grant was key to making the changes. “These pieces of equipment are not cheap,” Loock said. “Having the state help pay means getting something that would not have been in my budget.”

Together these changes have saved the company $3,550 per year, resulting in a 4 four month payback period. Even without the grant, the investment would have been recouped in just two years, making process conversion an attractive choice for many businesses. Dan Loock’s Automotive reduced its overall VOC emissions by 736 pounds per year, exceeding initial estimates.

Rupp’s Unique Auto Body – Elbow Lake

Rupp’s Unique Auto Body paint and repair shop switched from a solvent-based to a water-based paint system. Manager Thomas Rupp said they have been using the system for several months now and it is totally different than the old system.

“It smells much better, unlike the solvents we’ve been using, which can give you a headache. Another advantage we see is that it dries faster. With everyone wanting things faster and faster today, that’s big for us.” Rupp estimates the new system will reduce their VOC emissions by more than 40%.

Owner Ryan Rupp said there was a bit of a learning curve, but now that the water-based system is in place, he likes it much better than the old system. “Not only does it smell better and the paint dries almost instantly, it actually does a better job and looks better than oil-based paint.”

Valley Craft – Lake City

Valley Craft, a manufacturer of material-handling equipment, received a $100,000 grant toward its $150,000 conversion to a powder-coating system from a liquid paint system. Unlike liquid paint, powder coating doesn’t contain solvents and releases little or no VOCs. The company expects to reduce VOCs by more than three tons per year. Valley Craft now confines its use of liquid paint to objects that can’t withstand the 370-degree powder-coating oven. Operations Manager Tom Balow said the company has used just one gallon of wet paint in the last two months.

The upgrade made environmental as well as business sense. Less wet paint means less hazardous waste and less regulation from the MPCA. “Powder coating is a lot easier to apply,” Balow said. “It’s a lot easier to train employees to use. Lastly, it’s a higher quality, more durable finish. And unlike wet paint, the powder finish won’t just give under pressure from a fastener.

“It’s been great to work with Balow and Valley Craft,” states Eric David, nonpoint air lead at the MPCA, “The state is happy to help a great small business ... that wants to do the right thing by improving the health of its employees and reducing its air pollution.

The Environmental Initiative awarded Minneapolis’ Tiny Diner and its partners a 2015 Environmental Initiative Award in the Sustainable Business category. The annual award honors innovative projects that have achieved extraordinary environmental results by harnessing the power of partnership.

Tiny Diner is a thriving restaurant in the Powderhorn neighborhood that models smaller-scale business environmental practices. The restaurant limits its climate footprint with a solar array­-covered patio. It also controls stormwater runoff on its site by capturing rainwater and working with Ecological Gardens and the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District to design rain gardens, rain catchments, and food production gardens. The business has a production garden and community space where classes are held on watersheds, bees, landscaping, composting and more.

The award was given because Tiny Diner and its partners worked closely together to achieve a greater result. “Collaboration isn’t always easy. This project is a wonderful example of what can be accomplished for our environment and for all Minnesotans when we choose to work together,” says Environmental Initiative’s Executive Director Mike Harley. 

A pair of new laws in Minnesota prohibits wheel weights made of lead or mercury. Wheel weights are attached to tires by manufacturers or vehicle mechanics to ensure the tires are balanced. The new laws apply to tires on cars, trucks, semi tractors, buses, aircraft, and  trailers or campers that are towed behind vehicles.

Lead wheel weights cannot be sold or installed in Minnesota after January 1, 2016. They can remain in use if they were installed before then. Lead wheel weights must be recycled if they are removed.

Stricter Minnesota laws for mercury weights — in effect since January 1, 2015 — prohibit sale, installation, or use. Vehicles cannot be sold with mercury weights. Any mercury weights found on a vehicle must be removed and recycled.

All wheel weight manufacturers offer recycling programs. Work with your supplier to return new weights and recycle used ones. Wheel weights can also be recycled at most hazardous waste collection centers.

Non-toxic wheel weights made from steel, zinc, or plastic composites are available. Brands and types of replacement weights can be found on the MPCA website. Contact John Gilkeson (651-757-2391) at the MPCA with questions.

In accordance with the Toxic Substances Control Act, the EPA has released five final risk assessments that may change how three products — trichloroethylene (TCE), N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP), and methylene chloride — are made or used:

• Methylene chloride or dichloromethane (DCM) — EPA is considering regulatory action on paint and coating removal products to protect consumers, workers, and bystanders from health risks due to inhalation.
• N-Methylpyrrolidone (NMP) — Regulatory action on paint and coating removal products is under consideration to protect vulnerable individuals with high exposure (4 hours on a single day or repeatedly over successive days). Risks from exposure less than 4 hours per day may be reduced by use of specific types of chemical-resistant gloves.
• Trichloroethylene (TCE) — EPA is considering promoting voluntary transitions to safer chemicals and best practices, and/or regulating phase out of uses to protect workers, including bystanders, from acute, chronic, and pregnant women’s inhalation exposures to the solvent during metals degreasing or spot removal in dry cleaning, or through spray fixative protective coatings.

Background on overall effort can be found on the EPA’s web site and includes a brief description of how chemicals were selected to receive assessments.