Chattanooga: Body shop switches paint to reduce ozone emission

Advanced Collision began an auto painting process last week designed to reduce harmful ozone emissions released while spraying a base coat.

Curt Swearingin, owner of the Advanced Collision shops at 1410 Gunbarrel Road in Chattanooga and 2378 Battlefield Parkway in Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., said his company switched last week to Envirobase, a water-based base coat that reduces the “volatile organic compounds,” or VOCs, found in standard base coat solvents that are harmful to the atmosphere.

“This has taken the harmful part out, or at lease cut it drastically,” Mr. Swearingin said. “It’s better for the environment and in the end makes a better product.”

Tim Hughes, territory manager for PPG, the company that manufactures Envirobase, said not only is the product safer for the environment, it also is safer for workers painting cars.

“That’s huge,” Mr. Hughes said. “(Advanced Collision) sprays a significant amount of product, which is now much better for the environment.”

Mr. Swearingin said he sprayed about 160 gallons of the standard base coat last year.

The environmentally friendlier paint is no more expensive for the consumer, and the cost was minimal for Advanced Collision, Mr. Swearingin said.

“We had to buy some additional equipment, but that’s about it,” he said.

Many automobile manufacturers have been using Envirobase for years, Mr. Swearingin said.

Mr. Swearingin said states such as California mandate a water-based process while spraying base coat. While there is nothing in Tennessee requiring it, Mr. Swearingin said it is coming.

“It’s just a matter of time before it gets here. It may be 10 years, but we will be ahead of the curve,” he said. With the revitalization of downtown, it just makes sense to go green in this area.”