EPA Campaign Features DuPont Driver

The US Environmental Protection Agency has teamed up with DuPont-sponsored NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon in the race to clean air.

This week the federal agency released a training DVD featuring Gordon to help auto body shops comply with a rule reducing air pollution from vehicle painting.

"This type of pollution, called toxic air emissions, can cause smog, cancer or other serious health effects," according to the EPA.

When asked, the agency provided this explanation as to why the DuPont racer was named as their spokesperson for the clean air campaign.

"EPA rule to reduce air toxics emissions from auto stripping and painting will affect hundreds of auto body shops that have not previously been subject to a federal air quality regulation. In an effort to improve compliance with the rule, we teamed up with several partners, including paint manufacturers, to educate paint shop owners and employees about the new requirements and offer training. The DVD is part of that outreach and training effort," said a statement provided by Dave Ryan, EPA Washington Headquarters Press Officer.

DuPont Automotive Systems is the largest global manufacturer of auto paint and high performance finishes. The company was not named in the press announcement regarding Gordon's involvement and the EPA seemed unable or unwilling to explain who made the decision to use him for the campaign.

"The decision to ask Jeff Gordon to host the training video did not rest on a single person, it was a group effort. We are working with several paint manufacturers (and other industry partners) as part of the overall Collision Repair Campaign. The goal of the campaign is to minimize the impact car painting has on air quality and to protect the health of those doing the work. We went with a NASCAR theme to help get the attention of autobody shops," Ryan said.