WASHINGTON - The NPCA reported that Environment Canada, the country's environmental regulatory agency, is conducting a survey of VOC content in architectural and industrial (AIM) coatings, an action that could lead to the development of a VOC regulation on AIM coatings.

The survey was distributed late last year as part of the development of a national program to reduce VOC emissions from consumer and commercial products, the NPCA said. In addition, the association said Environment Canada has retained a contractor to examine technical issues related to U.S. and California VOC-content limits for coatings, and to determine what impact such limits would have on the Canadian coatings industry. A second contractor has been retained to assess potential economic impact of the enactment of a national VOC regulation on AIM coatings.

A more detailed report on the issue is available on the NPCA website, located at paint.org, in the "Headlines" section.