PCI – Leading Industry Magazine Substantiates COOLWALL®
Updated: Dec 28, 2022
TEX•COTE®’s COOLWALL® System was recently highlighted in an article on green coatings featured in the February issue of the Paint & Coatings Industry magazine.
CURRENT GREEN COATINGS DO LITTLE TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT
Every day within the United States new green inititives are being proposed by politicians, celebrities and businesses. California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is supporting hybrid cars. Musician Sheryl Crow is supporting green bathroom accessories. The Home Depot recently rolled out its Eco Options program in stores throughout the country. The company also signed an agreement with The Conversion Fund to reduce CO2 emissions. With just about everyone and every sector of the business world supporting some green cause, what is the U.S. paint industry doing to protect the environment, reduce energy consumption and global warming? Not much at all, in this author’s opinion.
During the late 1990s many paint manufacturers unsuccessfully sued the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) over new VOC laws that were designed to protect public health. Paint manufacturers claimed that low-VOC coatings would have poor durability and inferior handling. They also claimed prices would significantly increase and existing product lines would be regulated out of existence. The reality is that new compliant coatings did not have a reduction in performance and prices did not dramatically rise, although some products were summarily removed from sale for not complying with new air quality guidelines.
According to the 2005 ARB Architectural Coatings Survey, the VOC emissions from architectural coatings dropped from 113 million tons per day in 1975 to 95.1 million tons in 2004, a 16% drop in emissions (note: this does not include associated emissions from thinning or solvent cleanup). Since 1975, the amount of architectural coatings sold within California has more than doubled, so the actual reduction in VOC emissions is significantly higher. The end result is that air quality has improved and in some cases so has paint durability. So why the lawsuits?