A Healthy Breathing Environment For Every Bay Area Resident

Registration for Graphic Arts Operations

An owner or operator of a small graphic arts operation must register that operation with the Air District per Regulation 8, Rule 20, Section 408.

Under Regulation 8, Rule 20, a graphic arts operation is defined as “a gravure, publication gravure, flexographic printing, digital printing, screen printing, letterpress, or lithographic printing operation; an associated coating, laminating, or adhesive operation to produce a printed product; and the use of solvents for any surface preparation or cleanup for any of the operations stated above.”

A graphic arts operation is subject to registration if:

The total emissions from all graphic arts operation activities are a minimum of 75 pounds but less than 400 pounds of volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, per month.

To help you estimate the VOC emissions from your graphic arts operation, you may use this Graphic Arts Operations Emissions Estimation Tool(44 Kb XLS, revised 1/19/2011) spreadsheet.

A graphic arts operation is exempt from registration and Permit to Operate requirements if:

The total emissions from all graphic arts operation activities are less than 75 pounds of VOCs per month.

A graphic arts operation is not subject to registration but requires a Permit to Operate if the total emissions from the all graphic arts operation activities are 400 pounds or more of VOCs per month.

If you are required to have a Permit to Operate, you cannot currently use the Online Permitting System.
You cannot have both a Graphic Arts Operation registration and other graphic arts equipment that require a Permit to Operate.

The owner/operator subject to registration is required to:

Obtain a Graphic Arts Operation registration for each facility having graphic arts equipment subject to this rule. The registration covers all graphic arts equipment at a facility.
Renew the registration annually.
Operate all equipment in accordance with the requirements of Regulation 8, Rule 20.

Online Permitting System
Eligible facilities can log in to apply for new registrations and renewals on the Air District's online permitting system web page.

Renewal

The Air District will issue renewal invoices to facilities with registered Graphic Arts Operations whose registrations have an expiration date on or after January 1, 2016. Future renewal invoices will be sent out annually, typically 30 to 60 days before expiration.

Please contact us if your registration has an expiration date before January 1, 2016 and you still require a registration.

Fees

The registration fees are provided in Regulation 3, Schedule R. Both initial registration fee and annual renewal fee are for each facility. Late registrations and late payment penalties may apply.