European Union gives final approval to VOC rule on architectural, refinish coatings

Citation

(2004), "European Union gives final approval to VOC rule on architectural, refinish coatings", Pigment & Resin Technology, Vol. 33 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/prt.2004.12933dab.006

European Union gives final approval to VOC rule on architectural, refinish coatings

European Union gives final approval to VOC rule on architectural, refinish coatings

Keywords: Coatings, Regulation, Environment, Europe

The European Union gave final approval to a measure that places VOC limits on architectural and auto-refinish coatings, with a first round of limits scheduled to go into effect on 1 January 2007. The new regulation will impose VOC limits on 27 categories of paints, varnishes and coatings, with separate limits specified for water-borne and solvent-borne architectural products.

The limits for key product types include: 75 g/l for water-borne interior flat wall paints and 400 g/l for solvent-borne flat wall paints; 150 g/l for water-borne interior wall paints (400 g/l for high-gloss solvent-bornes); 150 g/l for water-borne interior/exterior trim and cladding paints (400 g/l for solvent-bornes); and 75 g/l for water-borne exterior paints for mineral substrates (450 g/l for solvent-bornes). Other limits range from a low of 50 g/l for water-borne primers to a high of 750 g/l for binding primers.

The VOC limits for architectural paints and varnishes will go even lower on 1 January 2010, with 30 g/l maximums scheduled to go into effect for water-borne and solvent-borne interior flat coatings, primers and binding primers, and a 40 g/l limit specified for exterior paints for mineral substrates. The regulation includes one round of VOC limits for refinish products, with those limits ranging from 250 to 850 g/l for preparatory and cleaning products, bodyfillers/stoppers, primers, topcoats, and special finishes. Those limits will go into effect on 1 January 2007.

The complete regulation, including definitions, reporting rules and other requirements, can be obtained from the following European Commission Web site link: www.europarl.eu.int/commonpositions/2004/pdf/c5-0019-04_en.pdf

EU Environment Commissioner Margot Wallstrom said the legislation “means that paints will become safer and better for the environment. Greening our paints is not a question of color, but of reducing the content of dangerous solvents they contain. This is an important contribution to improving air quality in all member states”. The EU says the regulation will reduce VOC emissions from paints, varnishes and vehicle-refinish products in EU member states by around 280,000 ton per year by 2010.