Coatings World - February 2017

Regulatory Activity & Supplier Divestments
February 2017 www.coatingsworld.com Coatings World | 37

pigments. For instance, Sun Chemical is focusing its research and development efforts on expanding its metallic pigments and other products for sustainable coating applications.

In Europe, as per the directive (2014/312/EU), which was published in 2014, established criteria for the award of the EU Eco label for indoor and outdoor paints and varnishes, as well as indoor air quality standards (e.g., AgBB in Germany and ANSES in France) and an overall desire in the market for low-odor coatings are in;uencing product development efforts. There were two key regulatory developments in the U.S. in 2015, ;rst was OSHA Implementation of the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) for hazard communication ( classi-;cation and labeling). This new system requires the ;rst major ‘safety data system’ change for the coatings industry since the advent of the MSDS, roughly 30 years ago. Unfortunately, for all but the largest paint and coatings companies, the need to implement GHS has meant that cut-backs on money-making activities have occurred.

Biocides have been impacted signi;cantly by recent regula-
tory developments in both Europe and the United States. As part
of the EU’s implementation of GHS (as the CLP regulation), the
new “allergen” label phrase (EU H208) was introduced. This
phrase indicates that a chemical mixture (including formulated
products, such as coatings) may cause sensitization via skin
contact. It is also noted that biocide usage in the EU will be
affected by Article 95 of the Biocidal Product Regulation (BPR),
which came into effect from September 1, 2015. Biocidal prod-
ucts consisting of, containing, or generating a relevant substance
cannot be made available on the EU market if the substance
supplier or product supplier is not included in the Article 95
list for the product type(s) to which the product belongs, except
existing stocks of products not on the list, which can be used
until exhausted..
In the United States, EPA re-registration eligibility deci-
sions (RED) have re-districted the use of certain biocides as
preservatives in paint that function via formaldehyde-based
mechanisms, and there is concern about others that are coming
up for review in the near future, according to Waldron. Paint
formulators are thus challenged to replace these biocides with
new chemistries.
The trend toward VOC-free coatings is creating the need for
improved biocidal protection systems, particularly wet-state
biocides, because reduction of the amount of coalescent used
in water-based coatings reduces their ability to control bacterial
growth. This results in the formation of softer coatings, which
are more susceptible to dirt pickup and airborne organisms, such
as fungi and algae. He also notes that there is an increased de-
mand for dry-;lm preservatives in low-VOC, exterior coatings.

IndustryARC analysts believe that as a major consequence of these trends, there will be fewer options for preservatives and

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