Reducing refinishing solvent emissions

Citation

Bean, J. (1999), "Reducing refinishing solvent emissions", Pigment & Resin Technology, Vol. 28 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/prt.1999.12928daa.003

Reducing refinishing solvent emissions

Reducing refinishing solvent emissions

Keywords: Solvents, Emissions, Environmental impact

Environmental and engineering consultancy Entec UK and the Paint Research Association (PRA) have been commissioned by the EC to investigate a product-based approach for controlling solvent emissions in the vehicle refinishing sector. This is in response to the reduced environmental effectiveness in this sector of the Solvent Emissions Directive, which now applies only to facilities with a solvent consumption capacity higher than 500kg/year.

"We will start by evaluating the economic importance of the vehicle refinishing sector within the EU and will look at the present breakdown of the industry and its main suppliers", says Entec project manager, Alistair Ritchie.

The next step will be to classify typical coatings used in vehicle refinishing as well as substitutes with lower organic solvent concentrations and draw up a VOC emissions inventory for the sector. Following a technical, environmental and cost comparison, the project team will then identify reference coatings containing as little organic solvent as possible. Finally, analysis will be carried out on the economic and environmental impacts of setting up a Community legislative framework for stipulating the reference coatings identified in this study.