Although we have seen a lot of headlines in recent years about how the EPA weakened regulations and enforcement under the Trump administration, VOC compliance is still serious business. In 2019, the EPA levied a $140,000 fine (and required the installation of expensive monitoring equipment) on a Chicago-area can manufacturer after an inspection discovered excess levels of VOC pollution, and a repeat VOC polluter in California was hit with a $199,500 penalty by the California Air Resource Board.
Clearly, VOC pollution can have serious consequences for a manufacturer’s bottom line, as well as the environment. Luckily, it is also relatively easy to come into compliance.