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The Bay Area Air Quality Management District Wednesday adopted amendments that would reduce the number of smog-forming particles that are emitted by industrial paints. 

The district says paint and coatings for bathrooms, kitchen fixtures, concrete forms, fire escapes and curbs emit more than 24 tons of volatile organic emissions, which are a common element in ground-level pollution. 

Wednesday’s rule will decrease the amount of emissions of the volatile organic emissions by nearly 4 tons per day by limiting the solvent content used in the paints, according to the district. 

“Reformulating these paints to reduce air pollution is the Air District’s first step in implementing the 2001 Clean Air Plan,” said Deputy Air Pollution Office Peter Hess. “Full implementation of the plan will result in a 20 percent reduction in pollution in Bay Area by the year 2006.”