Reduce Exposure to Air Toxics in Collision Repair Shops

Health impacts from collision repair activities

• Particulate matter (PM)
  • Asthma, heart attacks, bronchitis, premature mortality
• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
  • Asthma and bronchitis
• Hazardous air pollutants (HAP, also known as air toxics), including lead, chromium and cadmium
  • Neurotoxicity, lung cancer
• Diisocyanates
  • A leading attributable cause of occupational asthma; skin and lung sensitization
• Solvents
  • Irritation, headache, nausea, liver, kidney, nervous system damage

Potential benefits

• Through implementing best practices, which include installing and maintaining control equipment and using safer paints and solvents, toxic exposures are expected to be reduced by 90 percent.
• Shop owners also will reduce paint and solvent costs, as well as related hazardous waste disposal costs through this program.
• The Campaign creates better environmental stewards, happier and healthier community neighbors and improves worker safety and health.
• The Campaign will also better prepare the industry to comply with a federal rule designed to reduce auto body emissions.