New federal regulations went into effect Jan. 1, 2005, in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Washington, D.C. and the surrounding Northern Virginia suburbs.

The Ozone Transport Commission (OTC) formed by congress in 1990 recommended these regulations with a goal to reduce ground level ozones and air quality in the Northeast.

Lower VOC are in effect for 53 coatings categories, such as flats, non-flats, primers, stains, varnishes, and industrial maintenance coatings. All coatings sold or used within the regulated areas must comply with the new VOC limits.

Asphalt Care Equipment & Supplies realized in 2004 that the new laws would have an impact on its business and started early to convert its inventory of tact coating and line stripping paints over to VOC-compliant materials.

Dave Fackler, president of the Pennsylvania-based Asphalt Equipment & Supply company, made it a goal to reduce his inventory in 2004 and begin 2005 well stocked with VOC-compliant coatings.

“Coatings are support lines for our main product line that include paving machines, rollers, and line stripping equipment. It is important to our customers that we take these mandates seriously and sell products that they can depend on,” stated Fackler. “Our customers are contractors that spend most of their time in the field. They don’t have time to worry about complying with federal regulations.”

Asphalt Care Equipment & Supplies is a full-service distributor for Ingersoll-Rand, Blaw-Knox, Marathon, Road Maintenance, Stow Manufacturing, Seal Master Industries and Interstate Trailers. Its headquarters are located in Bensalem, PA, with branches in Danboro and Norristown, PA.

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