an estimated 30 percent of basecoats
sold in the UK for car repair still being
solvent-based.
The BCF has recently written to all
vehicle refinish (VR) distributors outlining the details of the campaign, which
includes a poster to help explain the difference between solvent- and water-based
basecoats, and when they should be used.
The letter also outlined a mystery shopping exercise where one in four VR distributors will be visited in the next 12
months, to gather evidence of non-com-pliance in the sector.
The campaign is backed by the major national distributors who attended
a joint meeting with paint manufacturers in January, to discuss this initiative.
The UK’s Government’s Department for
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
also supports the work of the BCF to
tackle this issue and are keen to ensure
compliance with the regulations.
The ultimate aim of the campaign is
for Trading Standards Officers in Local
Authorities, the regulators responsible
for the Directive, to be able to confidently
inspect distributors and identify the sale
of non-compliant VR paint.
Tom Bowtell, BCF’s CEO said
“Bodyshops across the UK have invested
heavily in water-based equipment and
compliant technology, as have the paint
manufacturers and law abiding distributors. It is not fair that they are financially
disadvantaged by this widespread abuse
of the regulations. We are determined to
assist the authorities in enforcing the regulations and for non-compliant distributors to be prosecuted as a consequence of
their actions.”
PPG Foundation Awards
More Than $290,000
Through National Merit
Scholarship Program
The PPG Foundation announced that it is
sponsoring more than $290,000 in under-
graduate college scholarships for U.S. stu-
dents through National Merit Scholarship
Corp. in 2016, including 43 new
four-year scholarships.
The new scholarships include 27 awards for PPG employees’ children and 16 awards for
students who live in communities
near PPG facilities. Scholarship winners are selected by National Merit
Scholarship Corp. based on Preliminary
Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit
Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/
NMSQT) scores and additional criteria, and they receive awards of $1,500
annually for up to four years of undergraduate study.
“Through the National Merit
Scholarship Programs, the PPG
Foundation has helped students realize
their academic goals for more than 50
years,” said Sue Sloan, executive director
of the PPG Foundation. “We are excited
to help young people pursue studies in
fields that will support advanced manufacturing and many other industries in
the future.”
