China's coating industry completes consultation on 'low-VOC' standard

An industry consultation in China on a standard for coatings with reduced volatile organic compound (VOC) content has closed.

The consultation was for suppliers and end users of the coating industry on a draft standard for technical requirements for low volatile organic compound content coating products.

It was jointly prepared by the Chinese government and the coating industry.

The draft standard, which was published on 18 July, specifies:

• the terms and definitions of "low" VOC content coating products;
• product classifications;
• requirements;
• test methods; and
• packaging label identification.

The aim of the standard is to provide a unified basis for government law enforcement of VOCs and to help the industry develop along environmentally sound lines.

The standard lists a number of product types to which it applies. These include:

• architectural coatings;
• water-based industrial coatings; and
• powder coatings.

Each of the product types also has associated VOC content requirements including the maximum VOC level for which this coating type is considered low VOC.

The industry partner consultation ended on 24 August.

Adoption of the final standard is expected in 2019.

The proposed standard follows a 2016 action plan by China’s Ministry of Industry, Information and Technology to reduce industrial VOCs emissions by 3.3Mt by the end of 2018.

Source: Chemical Watch