A GUIDE REDUCTION IN DECORATIVE COATINGS TO VOC. Prepared by the. CEPE Technical Committee. Decorative Paints

Transcription

1 A GUIDE TO VOC REDUCTION IN DECORATIVE Prepared by the COATINGS CEPE Technical Committee Decorative Paints

2 CCONTENTS Preface A Guide to VOC reduction in decorative coatings Background A European approach to VOC reduction in decorative coatings Figures The European decorative coatings industry Sources of emissions VOC emissions and decorative coatings VOC reduction Opportunities for VOC emission reduction in decorative coatings A European approach The CEPE proposal Implementation Implementation of the CEPE proposal CEPE proposal for VOC reduction Categories and limits Definitions Definitions of terms and categories

3 PPreface A GUIDE TO VOC REDUCTION IN DECORATIVE COATINGS Over the past few decades the use of water-borne products within the decorative coatings market has increased to the point where they now represent approximately 70% of the total volume. This growth primarily is due to the specific performance characteristics and ease of use that waterborne products provide. During the same period there has been a growing awareness in all European countries of the need for environmental protection. The coatings industry is, within the framework of its world-wide Coatings Care programme, actively seeking improvements by directing much of its R&D effort towards this target. This brochure covers the issues and describes the possibilities for reduction in the use of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in decorative coatings. It also gives a proposal that would result in a significant reduction in VOC emissions. This proposal is based on: the knowledge of current and emerging technologies; an awareness of the different cultures within Europe; an understanding of the demanding expectations from the protective and value-preserving functions of decorative coatings, and the consideration of the different climatic conditions between northern and southern Europe. This brochure has been prepared by the Technical Committee, Decorative Paints of CEPE, the European Council of the Paint, Printing Ink and Artists Colours Industry. The 16 national associations that are members of CEPE, representing approximately 1100 producers of decorative coatings, manufacturing 85% of the decorative coatings volume in Europe, have been involved in the preparation of the brochure, as have all appropriate committees within CEPE. Therefore this brochure is based on a wealth of knowledge and experience and offers a workable, comprehensive and practical guide to addressing the complicated issues concerning VOC reduction in decorative coatings. This brochure will be of interest to all organisations active, either directly or indirectly, within the decorative coatings industry and trade, including raw material producers, coatings manufacturers and merchants. Furthermore, in order to initiate harmonised legislation for reducing VOC emissions from decorative coatings in Europe, it is intended to be a guideline for the political representatives of each European country. Last but not least, it is intended to enable and encourage the increased use of decorative coatings with low VOC content by professional and private users. 3

4 BBackground A EUROPEAN APPROACH TO VOC REDUCTION IN DECORATIVE COATINGS As long ago as 1996, CEPE, with the help of its member associations and companies, proactively drew up a proposal to reduce VOC emissions from decorative coatings. Whilst this proposal Within the EU, there is considerable focus on improving air quality, with particular attention being given to reducing emissions of oxides of sulphur and nitrogen, ammonia and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The reduction of VOC emissions is of particular importance to the coatings industry. VOC emissions will be considerably reduced with the implementation of the Solvents Emission Directive 1). This directive has a direct impact on many sectors of the coatings industry but not on decorative coatings. These are not usually applied in installations, which are the focus of the Directive. The European Commission and the EU Member States have recognised that they need to do even more to improve the air quality in Europe to protect citizens' health. Hence two new directives are now being prepared. The future Ozone Directive will require the Member States to limit the concentration of ozone in the air to a maximum level of 120 micrograms per cubic metre. The future National Emission Ceilings Directive will require the Member States to reduce their emissions of several air pollutants, including VOCs, to lower levels, from These directives may well lead Member States to require the decorative coatings sector to take measures that will lead to a reduction in the emissions arising from the use of its products. was tabled to the European Commission in the format of a draft product directive, priorities prevented it from being taken forward by the Commission. In 1999 the European Commission appointed independent consultants to study the potential for reducing VOC emissions from decorative coatings. CEPE welcomed this initiative and, using the 1996 proposal as a basis, was involved in an open and supportive dialogue with the consultants. Following the publication in the second half of 2000 of the report from the consultants, CEPE undertook a detailed consultation programme within its membership to review both the report and its 1996 proposal. This work resulted in a revised proposal incorporating the changes in the market place and advances in technology that had taken place since This new proposal from CEPE for reduction of VOC emissions from decorative coatings is detailed in this brochure. 1) Council Directive 1999/13/EC of 11 March 1999 on the limitation of volatile organic compounds due to the use of organic solvents in certain activities and installations 4

5 F THE EUROPEAN DECORATIVE COATINGS INDUSTRY Figures Annual sales Approx. 3,300,000 tonnes Annual turnover Approx. 7,000,000,000 Euro Proportion of total coatings market 60% Number of manufacturing companies Approx. 3,300 Number of sales outlets Over 100,000 Number of professional users Approx. 2,500,000 Number of DIY users More than 100,000,000 5

6 Sources of emissions VOC EMISSIONS AND DECORATIVE COATINGS SEmissions from transport sources are The action of sunlight on NOx and VOCs leads to the formation of ground level ozone, a long-range pollutant, which can impact on rural areas at some distance from the original source of emission. Ozone can irritate the eyes the most important source of man-made air pollutants. Both petrol and diesel vehicles emit a variety of pollutants: nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), and particulate material as well as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). All of these can affect air quality. Large amounts of VOCs are also emitted from natural sources, for example forests. and lungs, causing breathing difficulties, and may reduce resistance to infection. Ozone can also damage some vegetation, crops and trees. Ozone levels are normally higher on still, sunny, summer days, when the air is already polluted with NOx and VOCs (e.g. urban areas with traffic). Because of the time required for the chemical reactions to take place, ozone formation tends to occur downwind of the pollution. The resulting smog may persist for several days and can be transported over long distances. Decorative coatings can be categorised into those using solvent-borne technologies and those using water-borne technologies. The former use organic solvents as the main liquid phase. Most solvent-borne decorative coatings do not require the addition of solvents or thinners prior to use but solvents are usually used for cleaning application 6

7 coalescence or retard the drying. These are often VOCs but may be essential to achieve the required performance and application properties. About 70% of all decorative coatings used within the EU are water-borne. equipment. The solvents used in the product and those used for equipment cleaning are VOCs. Water-borne coatings predominantly use water as the carrier but usually contain small amounts of additives such as materials to aid film Most of the VOCs used in decorative coatings are emitted during the application and drying of the coating. The direct use of decorative coatings gives rise to ,000 tonnes of VOC emissions. In addition, it is estimated that the associated use of solvent, mainly for cleaning purposes, adds approximately a further 100,000 tonnes to this amount. The total emission of around 550,000 tonnes of VOC represents less than 20% of total product sales tonnage. Whilst the use of decorative coatings contributes to total VOC emissions, the sector accounts for less than 3% of total man-made VOC emissions within the EU. 7

8 V VOC reduction OPPORTUNITIES FOR VOC EMISSION REDUCTION IN DECORATIVE COATINGS Emission abatement processes, at the point of application, are not an option with decorative coatings as the products are applied to structures and fittings in situ rather than in a contained factory or manufacturing process. Emission reductions can only be achieved by the use of water-borne and solventborne products with a reduced amount of VOC. The role of solvent-borne products Solvent-borne products play an important role in the market place and for various reasons are often preferred to waterborne products. These preferences are due to considerations such as aesthetic appearance, performance and application characteristics. There are regional differences in the market split between waterborne and solvent-borne products. The reasons for the variation in preference include climate, geography, culture, architecture, customer base, building practices and custom and practice. The options for VOC reduction The main options for emission reductions are: 1) Switching from solvent-borne products to water-borne 2) Reducing the solvent content of solvent-borne products 3) Reducing the volatile organic content of water-borne products. 8

9 Technologies for water-borne products are continually improving, but the industry does not believe that solventborne products can be totally replaced Switching from solventborne products in the foreseeable future. It is theoretically possible to replace all the remaining traditional solvent-borne products with water-borne versions. However, for certain applications, the latter do not deliver the quality and performance required. Solvent-borne coatings often show the following advantages: Wider application and drying tolerance under adverse conditions, such as low temperature, high humidity Higher levels of performance on difficult substrates, such as heavily stained or powdery surfaces Easier application properties Higher levels of film performance e.g. mechanical or chemical resistance Increased aesthetic appearance. Reducing the solvent content of solvent-borne coatings It is possible to produce solvent-borne products with a lower solvent content and modern high-solids technology can be used to formulate products that offer many of the attributes of traditional solvent-borne products but with significantly reduced solvent content. Whilst they are more expensive and usually slower drying they can play an important role in reducing VOC emissions. Reducing the volatile organic content of waterborne coatings The use of VOCs in water-borne coatings is often critical to the performance of the product and this is particularly true in the case of water-borne coatings that have been formulated to replace solventborne products. Given the already low levels present, any further reduction in the amount of VOCs in water-borne products is important, but not paramount, in minimising VOC emissions. 9

10 The industry cannot, in many product areas, make low-voc products that are identical to the existing products. The significant differences that will occur will have to be communicated to the end users and hence will require a detailed and extensive communication and training programme between the coating producers and the coating users. The changes will also have significant economic consequences arising from increased R&D and raw material costs and re-investment in equipment. Consequences of VOC reduction The market is already 70% water-borne. Furthermore high-solids products are being used to replace some traditional solvent-borne products. Further reductions in VOC emissions can be made by reducing the volatile organic content of both solvent- and water-borne products and by further switching to water-borne or higher solids coatings. This will take time however. The industry will need to reformulate a large and important part of its existing product range and this can only be achieved over a period of several years. Moreover achieving further reductions in VOC emissions will The widespread complexity and importance of the issues associated with the reduction of VOC emissions from decorative coatings require that any approach be carefully formulated. The CEPE proposal is based on detailed input from across the European industry and hence utilises a detailed and widespread knowledge of the market place, customer requirements and technologies. The CEPE proposal will maximise VOC emission reduction whilst correctly addressing market issues. Without any change in the market demand between solvent-borne and water-borne coatings, the proposal will deliver a reduction of VOC emissions of around 45% within Europe. entail major changes to many products, to product application techniques and to performance characteristics. 10

11 A European approach THE CEPE PROPOSAL The CEPE proposal has been formulated using the following principles: It should apply to both the DIY and professional sectors of the market. It should allow for the significant differences that exist across the EU. It should be independent of technology, allowing for both waterborne and solvent-borne products. It should be simple to understand. Within the proposal, the market is divided into product categories. Maximum VOC limits are set for each category. Limits are given for both water-borne and solvent-borne products. In some categories, e.g. interior walls and ceilings, the continued use of traditional solvent-borne products cannot be fully justified and the limits for solventborne products are set at the same level as those for the equivalent waterborne products. Given current technology, setting the same limits effectively bans the use of solvent-borne products. In some categories, e.g. interior and exterior paints for wood or metal trim and cladding, the limits for solventborne products effectively require the use of high-solids technology. A few categories, e.g. binding primers, allow the continued use of existing solvent-borne products. In these categories, products based on alternative technologies do not fulfil all end-user requirements. Moreover these product categories contribute only in a very limited way to the VOC emissions due to their very low market share. The proposal reduces the VOC limits in two phases. This approach has a number of advantages, including phasing of technical work, minimising economic consequences and affording greater time for users to adapt to the new products. The VOC limits set for water-borne products in the first phase are higher than in the second phase. This is largely to allow for the use, under phase one, of the existing colourants added to coatings when tinted in-store. The colourants used in this operation usually contain volatile organic compounds and 11

12 it is appropriate to include their contribution to the overall emission. In order to achieve the final VOC limits for waterborne coatings, the volatile organic compounds in these colourants will need to be significantly reduced or eliminated. Many of the in-store tinting machines currently in use will not be compatible with the new colourants and will need to be modified or replaced. The costs and timing associated with these changes mean that the associated reduction cannot in all cases be achieved within the first phase. The proposal also gives all the necessary definitions, and careful consideration has been given to each. To be successful any given definition needs to be easy to understand, robust and where appropriate and possible, consistent with other European legislation and initiatives. For example there are various expressions that could be used to quantify the VOC content of a given product. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, but after much consideration CEPE is recommending, for decorative coatings, expression of VOC content in the unit of grams per litre of coating as used. This expression is easily understood by nontechnical as well as technical people and it is easy to calculate and check. Furthermore it allows rapid calculation of the VOC emission from any given quantity of decorative coating. By consideration of the issues and appropriate use of all the options available for VOC reduction, the CEPE proposal ensures that VOC reduction occurs wherever it is technically and economically viable. It allows end users to continue using solvent-borne coatings where they are genuinely necessary, thus ensuring that the quality required by the market is maintained. It minimises the economic effects and it sets targets that are achievable by the whole industry and not just the larger manufacturers. However, at the same time, it affords a progressive and controlled move towards low VOC products wherever this is possible. 12

13 Implementation IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CEPE PROPOSAL The CEPE proposal is suitable as the basis of a voluntary industry agreement or legislation. However the most effective way to implement this proposal is by way of European harmonised legislation. Similarly a harmonised European approach will be more successful than national initiatives because: 1. There are considerable economic consequences arising from the changes. These must be tackled The reasons, that legislation will be more successful than a voluntary agreement, are as follows: 1. There is no appropriate mechanism by which a voluntary agreement could be implemented as there are over 3,000 manufacturers of decorative on a level playing field across Europe and can be minimised by a harmonised approach. 2. A range of differing initiatives at national level will dilute the industry's efforts and lead to confusion within the industry and amongst end users. coatings in Europe, many of whom are not represented by any trade association. 2. The replacement products will be very different to the current products and a voluntary agreement would inevitably result in some manufacturers keeping the old products on the market thus undermining the efforts of those abiding by the agreement. 3. Legislation will allow maximum publicity of the required changes and involvement of the users: this will result in the highest level of market pull for the new products. The significant changes to the products will affect manufacturers of decorative coatings, suppliers of raw material, sales outlets and end users in various ways and whilst the detail of the proposal minimises the effect, the timing of the two phases will be critical to successful implementation. Completion of the second phase by the year 2010 will offer a challenging but realistic target. 13

14 CEPE Proposal: Categories and limits CATEGORY TYPE/ MAX. VOC CONTENT G/L GLOSS LEVEL PHASE 1 PHASE 2 Paints for interior walls and ceilings Water-borne Gloss <25@ Solvent-borne Gloss <25@ Water-borne Gloss 25@ Solvent-borne Gloss 25@ Paints for exterior walls of mineral substrates. Water-borne Solvent-borne Interior and exterior paints for wood or metal, Water-borne trim and cladding Solvent-borne Interior and exterior transparent coatings and Water-borne varnishes; semi-transparent coatings; lasures Solvent-borne and woodstains, and opaque woodstains for wood & metal Interior & exterior minimal build woodstains Water-borne Solvent-borne Primers with sealing and/or blocking properties for Water-borne use on wood or walls and ceilings Solvent-borne Binding primers to stabilise substrates or impart Water-borne hydrophobic properties Solvent-borne One pack performance coatings Water-borne Solvent-borne Two pack reactive performance coatings Water-borne Solvent-borne Multi-coloured coatings Water-borne Solvent-borne Decorative effect coatings Water-borne Solvent-borne

15 D Definitions Decorative Coatings Water-borne Coatings that are applied to buildings, DEFINITIONS OF TERMS AND CATEGORIES their trim and fittings, and associated structures for decorative, functional and protective purposes. They are applied in situ by professional or private users. High performance protective coatings are explicitly excluded. High Performance Protective Coatings Functional coatings used to preserve the structural integrity of industrial structures and equipment, pipelines, plant and buildings from deterioration by exposure to water, chemicals or weather. They are applied by professional users in dedicated shops or in situ. VOCs Volatile organic compounds used in, or associated with the use of, decorative coatings and which have an initial boiling point at standard pressure of less than or equal to 250 C. Coatings Coatings, the viscosity of which is adjusted by the use of water. Solvent-borne Coatings Coatings, the viscosity of which is adjusted by the use of organic solvent. Woodstains (Lasures) Coatings producing a transparent or semi-transparent film for decoration and protection of wood against weathering, which enable maintenance to be carried out easily. Such products may contain biocides to protect the film or wood against blue stains and moulds. In some countries the term opaque woodstain is used to denote a paint applied such that the wood surface structure remains visible. Minimal Build Woodstains Woodstains which have, in accordance with EN 927-1:1996, a mean thickness less than 5µm when tested according to method 5A of ISO 2808:1997. Floors Hygiene standards in the food or drink industry or health services Graffiti resistance Flame retardant Corrosion resistance Multi-coloured Coatings Speciality coatings suitable to obtain a two tone or multiple colour effect, directly from the primary application, e.g. spray roller or brush. In general application is on large substrates. Decorative Effect Coatings Coatings designed to obtain special aesthetic effects. These coatings are in general applied over specially prepared pre-painted substrates or base coats and subsequently treated with various tools (e.g. sponge, cloth, spatula, special roller, comb, brush, etc.) during the drying period. In order to obtain a homogeneous effect over a large area, a long drying/open time is required. VOC Content The content of VOC, expressed in grams of VOC per litre, contained in a decorative coating when it is ready for use, including all tinters. Performance Coatings Coatings, the performance of which are in excess of normal decorative coatings and are for one or more of the following end uses: 15

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