Reducing solvent emissions from the EU vehicle refinishing sector

Citation

(2003), "Reducing solvent emissions from the EU vehicle refinishing sector", Pigment & Resin Technology, Vol. 32 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/prt.2003.12932bab.007

Reducing solvent emissions from the EU vehicle refinishing sector

Reducing solvent emissions from the EU vehicle refinishing sector

Keywords: Environment, Solvents, Emissions

Alternative environmental policy options for the vehicle refinishing (VR) sector across the European Union (EU) are being explored by the European Commission (EC). This is in response to the possible reduced environmental effectiveness, in the VR sector, of the Solvent Emissions Directive which now applies only to facilities with a solvent consumption capacity greater than 500 kg/year.

PRA and environmental consultancy Entec UK Ltd were commissioned by the EC to investigate a potential product based approach to reduce volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from the VR sector.

Following consultation with VR trade associations in all Member States and undertaking literature searches, a detailed size analysis of the VR sector for each Member State and for the EU as a whole was developed. This is presented for the current market situation and for the future situation when a proposed policy for a product based approach might be implemented (for the purposes of this study this is taken as 2007).

Following detailed investigation into low VOC content coatings for VR applications, a set of reference coatings were identified. The coatings identified are commercially available and were selected as representing high achievable levels of VOC reduction in comparison to current typically used coatings.

Finally, analysis was carried out on the human health, environmental and economic impacts should the EU adopt the reference coatings approach to reducing VOC emissions.