Background:
This profile is specifically for coatings manufacturing processes, where ‘coatings’ is a general term that is used to describe a diverse range of products designed to decorate and/or protect surfaces. Coatings are classified into two broad sectors – industrial coatings (including printing inks) and decorative paints.
Potential Processes and Operations:
The key activities undertaken at a chemical coating works include the following:
- Delivery, storage and transfer of raw materials such as pigments, dyes, extenders, binders, solvents and additives
- A series of mixing, milling and dispersion stages to create the finished coatings
- Packaging of products into various sized containers
- Storage on site ready for transport to the customer.
Potential Contaminants of Concern:
| Contaminant type | Main group of contaminants | Location | |||||||
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| Raw materials delivery/ storage transfer | Process buildings | Product storage | Waste/rejects storage | Waste disposal | Process pipework/pumps | Drainage system/ soakaways | Effluent treatment areas | ||
| Organic | Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) |
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| Halogenated hydrocarbons | • | • | • | • |
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| Non-halogenated hydrocarbons | • | • | • | • |
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| Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) | • | • | • | • |
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| Dioxins and furans |
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| Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) | • | • | |||||||
| Pesticides and herbicides | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | |
| Organometallic compounds | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | |
| Explosives | |||||||||
| Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | |
| Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | |
| Inorganic | Metals |
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| Non-metals and common inorganic substances |
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| Asbestos |
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| Other potential contaminants of concern | Pigments, dyes, extenders and binders and a large range of possible additives. See original Industry Profile for additional potential contaminants. | ||||||||
Original Industry Profile:
Further Information Sources:- Best available techniques reference document (BREF) - Manufacture of Organic Fine Chemicals (2006)
- Best available techniques reference document (BREF) - Production of Speciality Inorganic Chemicals (2007)
- Best available techniques reference document (BREF) - Surface Treatment of Metals and Plastics (2006)
- The British Coatings Federation
- Environment Agency Chief Scientist’s Group report: Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS): sources, pathways and environmental data (2021)
- Gaines, L.G.T., Historical and current usage of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS): A literature review (doi.org/10.1002/ajim.23362) (2022)
- OECD, Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Alternatives in Coatings, Paints and Varnishes (CPVs): Hazard Profile (doi.org/10.1787/c60c42d5-en) (2023)
- European Chemicals Agency - PFAS Use-mapping
