(35)The use of organic solvents in certain activities and installations gives rise to emissions of organic compounds into the air which contribute to the local and transboundary formation of photochemical oxidants which causes damage to natural resources and has harmful effects on human health. It is, therefore, necessary to take preventive action against the use of organic solvents and to establish a requirement to comply with emission limit values for organic compounds and appropriate operating conditions. Operators should be allowed to comply with the requirements of a reduction scheme instead of complying with the emission limit values set out in this Directive where other measures, such as the use of low-solvent or solvent-free products or techniques, provide alternative means of achieving equivalent emission reduction.