Coatings industry association global leaders meet in Oxford

From March 6-8, the British Coatings Federation (BCF) hosted the annual meeting of the International Paint and Printing Inks Council (IPPIC) In Oxford, to discuss several important issues facing the coatings industry globally.

Tom Bowtell, Chief Executive of the BCF said: "It was a great honour for the BCF to be host IPPIC in the UK.

"Given all the talk about the UK’s role on the world stage, it feels appropriate we are at the top table, along with other leading nations, such as the USA, China, Japan, Mexico, France, Germany, Canada, Turkey, Australia and New Zealand.

"Europe as a whole were also there, represented by CEPE.”

The meeting looked at a wide range of topics, including:

• The potential hazard classification for titanium dioxide in the EU, and the work of associations across Europe in this area
• Efforts undertaken by IPPIC and its members in support of the Responsible Mica Initiative in India
• Efforts globally to ensure continued use of antimicrobials/biocides to effectively preserve water-based paints
• Microplastics pollution in the environment
• Big data, and how it can help associations understand regulatory developments around the world

IPPIC also has considerable involvement with United Nations programmes, which include paint industry efforts to support the United Nations Lead Paint Alliance to remove lead from decorative paints in the developing world.

IPPIC also participates in the UN environment planning on chemicals management, working with other industry groups under the banner of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) and global UN activities on transport and the Globally Harmonized System for classification and labelling.

Finally, IPPIC interacts with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) via its Marine Coatings Groups.