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The Paints and Coatings Industry:
Improvement of Resource Efficiency and Environmental Performance

This industry is a subsector of the organic chemical industry, and many of the cleaner production solutions from organic chemical production apply to it. The subsect is very diverse in materials, processes and applications. Ingredients can be organic or non-organic, and water-born or solvent-born; applications can be to metals or many other substrates. A major trend in the industry is towards substitution of solvent-based with water-based coatings. Most major coatings producers now produce water-based products, although they tend to distribute them primarily in countries with strong environment, health and safety regulations.

There are many cleaner production options in this sector and many sources of technical assistance. It is important to also consider information from the chemical sector as many of the solutions for this larger sector are applicable to painting and coating. The EPA Profile of the Organic Chemical Industry (http://es.epa.gov/oeca/sector/index.html) includes information on paints and coatings as well as other chemical subsectors.

Researchers will find a wealth of information on this sector, from best practices to alternative technologies to waste recycling. The major thrust in the industry is toxic materials substitution. This is highly driven by local market conditions including waste disposal costs. Many low-cost solutions exist and case studies should reviewed to learn how many possibilities exist.

The table below lists solutions to reduce waste and pollution in paint and coating production. Company environmental programs should demonstrate that these options have been considered thoroughly. Direct links to online guides to chemical industry pollution prevention follow the table.

Cleaner Production Solutions to Increase Efficiency and Reduce Waste in Painting and Coating
Use Low-VOC Paint
  • Substitute waterborne, powder, UV curable or hight-solids paints for solvent-borne paint
  • Use paints that have less toxic pigments
  • Reduces VOC Emissions
  • Reduces toxicity of paint sludge
Increase Transfer Efficiency
  • Use electrostatic spraying
  • Use flow coating, roller coating, or electrodeposition
  • Improve operating practices
  • Provide operator training
  • Reduces paint loss due to overspray
Reduce Quantity and Toxicity of Solutions Used for Surface Preparation
  • Reduce solvent evaporation by installing tank lids, increasing freeboard space, and installing freeboard chillers in conventional solvent vapor degreasing units
  • Use aqueous solutions or mechanical methods
  • Maximize mechanical or aqueous cleaning processes
  • Reduces spent solvents, aqueous solutions and rinsewater from surface preparation
  • Reduces VOC emissions
Reduce Equipment Cleaning Waste
  • Use less toxic solvents
  • Install gun washer
  • Adopt distillation/recycling practices
  • Use enclosed cleaning devices
  • Reduces VOC emissions
  • Reduces toxicity of cleaning wastes
Adopt Better Housekeeping Practices
  • Segregate waste streams
  • Implement rigid inventory control
  • Improve material handling and storage
  • Mix paint according to need; document use
  • Schedule jobs to maximize color runs
  • Perform preventative maintenance
  • Practice emergency preparedness
  • Reduces paint waste
  • Reduces solvent use
  • Reduces leaks and spills

 

Source: Overview of Pollution Prevention in Coating Application Processes

http://www.p2pays.org/ref/01/00777.htm/overvp2.htm

LINKS

Technical Guides to Cleaner Production

Paint stripping or removing is a specialized process that precedes many painting operations. Waste Reduction in Metal Stripping has direct links to to many "how to" manuals and fact sheets for cleaner production for paint stripping in general, and metal coating stripping in particular.

http://wrrc.p2pays.org/metalstrip.htm

Guide To Cleaner Technologies for Organic Coating Replacements is an important guide that emphasizes the need to consider very different ways to achieve desired results from coatings, and provides many technical solutions.

http://es.epa.gov/program/epaorgs/ord/org-coat.html

Pollution Prevention in Painting and Coating Operations is a relatively short and clear guide.

http://www.epa.state.oh.us/opp/paints/fact23.html

Waste Reduction in Metal Coating has direct links to many "how to" manuals and fact sheets for cleaner production for painting in general, and metal coating in particular.

http://wrrc.p2pays.org/metalcoat.htm

Waste Reduction and Cost Saving Ideas for Wood Finishers is a good fact sheet with useful suggestions.

http://www.mntap.umn.edu/PAINT/Wood-p7.htm

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