Sustainability Supported by Basic Coatings

World Coatings Council Advocates Supporting Sustainability Through Essential Coatings

The World Coatings Council supports the UN COP26 targets of securing global net zero by mid-century and reaffirming the Paris Agreement's goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees. As a sector, the coatings industry is committed to sustainability alongside the foundations of the UN Sustainability Development Goals (SDG): "People. Planet. Prosperity. Partnership. Peace." The global paints and coatings industry has a long history of sustainable practices and provides products that protect, sustain and add value to the built environment, infrastructure and everyday objects in life. The sector continues to reduce its environmental footprint and embraces sustainability by increasing resource recovery; reducing and eliminating hazardous emissions, toxins and waste; offering products formulated to meet specific safety requirements; supporting efforts to conduct lifecycle analyses for environmental impact; and promoting product stewardship. The industry also addresses its social responsibility by establishing health and safety programs to protect the workforce producing its products and the communities using paints, coatings and printing inks. Coatings have numerous applications over numerous substrates, and what is notable about environmental advances in this field is that coatings are designed to perform well under various conditions and provide improved performance properties to the finished product. This means providing protection against deterioration such as corrosion, wear, high or low temperatures, chemicals and ultraviolet rays, moisture and microbes. Here are a few examples of how coatings and the global industry contribute to sustainability. Antifouling marine coatings for use on vessels and ships above and below the waterline serve two purposes; they help reduce the growth of marine organisms in the submerged areas of ships and therefore greatly reduce the ship's energy and fuel consumption by reducing "friction." Antifouling coatings, subject to strict regulations, provide tremendous eco-efficiency benefits; when applied to tankers, bulk carriers and other ship types, they can reduce greenhouse gas and other emissions by an average of 9% - no small achievement, as shipping accounts for an estimated 2-4% of global greenhouse gas emissions. These coatings also actively prevent the harmful transfer of invasive aquatic species to different ocean ecosystems. Coatings for energy applications are essential for renewable energy generation. • Anti-reflective coatings applied to solar panels increase the amount of light passing through the panels, ultimately generating more solar energy. • Protective coatings designed for wind turbine blades support rapid drying and provide resistance to UV and weather conditions, enabling the blades to rotate under harsh conditions from their root lines to offshore areas. • Cool roof coatings provide value by increasing the ability of commercial buildings and homes to regulate temperature, leading to a reduction in energy use. For example, roofs with cool roof coatings can be up to 100°F cooler than roofs covered with conventional, dark-colored roof covering materials, providing energy savings of 10-70%. • Coatings for water transmission improve pipeline infrastructure and provide mechanical flexibility for both potable and non-potable water transmission pipelines. Creating a barrier against chemical and climatic effects, they serve as interior coatings and corrosion-resistant exterior coatings. • Coatings for electric and hybrid vehicles provide essential performance qualities. • Electrically insulating coatings assist in temperature control for superconductor batteries and extend battery life. • Coating systems developed for new lightweight metals and composites used by EV and hybrid automobile manufacturers help provide "lightweight" to achieve better fuel economy and reduced CO2. These coatings must adhere to very different surfaces, as well as provide solar light reflection, corrosion protection and desired appearance. In particular, these coating systems are rapidly evolving, becoming thinner and designed with fewer layers. • Exterior coatings with infrared-reflective pigments keep vehicle interiors cooler by reducing the extra energy needed to operate air conditioning, ultimately enabling EVs to travel farther on a single charge. • Coatings developed to provide protection against electromagnetic interference are necessary to protect electronic components used in vehicle communication systems from the strong magnetic field created by vehicle battery packs. • Coatings are designed to be compatible with EV computer drives, sensors and communication systems; easy to clean; and maintain hydrophobic and permeable properties (anti-reflective, etc.). • Automotive monocoat technology provides more durable paint compared to conventional painting processes, uses less energy and water, and reduces CO2 and particulate emissions. Voluntary Initiatives and Partnerships The coatings industry has been involved in numerous initiatives and partnerships. In many countries where there is no specific legislation governing the processing of post-consumer paint, the paints and coatings industry has responded to this challenge by developing management programs to collect and manage the end-of-life of discarded consumer paint. These programs provide an industry-leading system for the environmentally responsible management of the collection, transport, processing, recycling and proper disposal of post-consumer architectural paints and containers. Community Partnerships The World Coatings Council is a contributing member to the Lead Paint Alliance (LPA), an organization established under UNEP and WHO. Since its establishment in 2010, the LPA has called upon national governments, industry and civil society organizations to take action on restricting the use of lead in paints that pose public health and environmental risks, particularly for children. The Responsible Mica Initiative (RMI) is a consortium of companies and civil society partners implementing strategies to ensure fair labor practices in natural mica production. The World Coatings Council supports RMI's efforts by serving on the RMI Board and in RMI working groups addressing traceability, legal compliance and community empowerment strategies. Source