Daimler Trucks North America LLC owns and operates a truck manufacturing and painting facility in the Swan Island industrial area in North Portland. The facility has a Title V air quality permit from DEQ.
Title V Air Quality Permit
DEQ issued Daimler's Title V air quality permit on May 17, 2021. Daimler will need to apply to renew their permit in 2026. Read Daimler's air quality permit.
If you have any questions about the air quality permit, contact DEQ permit writer, David Graiver
Best Work Practices Agreement
After the issuance of the suspected odor nuisance notice, DEQ and Daimler developed a Best Work Practices Agreement, signed in August 2020 and now in effect. Elements of the agreement will be incorporated into the renewed Title V permit.
Under this agreement, Daimler has agreed to address its two painting processes: top and clear coating cabs and painting the chassis. Daimler will transition all top and clear coating activities to its North Carolina location by December 2022. The Portland facility will continue to operate one booth, down from five, to service older, legacy model cabs. Daimler will also explore alternative methods for painting the chassis to reduce emissions and odors.
As a result of this agreement, Daimler has taken several steps to review their practices and implement improvements where possible. Most improvements focus on lowering volatile organic compound, or VOC, emissions, as these contribute to odors. As of January 2022, Daimler has taken the following steps:
- Preventative Maintenance Program for Spray Guns: Daimler submitted documentation in November 2020 demonstrating that they had fully implemented a Preventative Maintenance Plan for the spray guns.
- High Solids Clearcoat Study: Daimler submitted a plan to study the use of high solids clearcoat in November 2020 to determine if it could use the lower VOC, high solids clearcoat. DEQ required modifications to the study, and approved the revised plan for the study in April 2021. In June 2021, Daimler notified DEQ that it had completed its feasibility study and had fully converted to the use of high solids clearcoat.
- Electrostatic Coating Feasibility Study: In August 2021, Daimler submitted to DEQ the results of the electrostatic coating feasibility study. Daimler evaluated this method of painting because it creates fewer VOC emissions. The study found electrostatic coating to not be feasible, largely due to conductivity and continuity issues with their chases. DEQ reviewed and agreed with the results of the study.