Sustainability in Paints and Coatings – Making it Real World

By Steven Reinstadtler

Sustainability is not a new idea. Deal with it. Truth is, the concept of sustainability has been around for quite a while now. In one form or an-other, humans have long been practicing sustainable technologies for altruistic as well as self- centered reasons.

Over 1,000 years ago, the Sinagua, northern cousins of the Hohokam Indians, would bury leftover fish parts in holes and then plant several seeds of maize on top. The recycled content provided for a larger crop and eliminated an undesirable and often fragrant waste stream. Looking more myopically to the recent past and specifically to coatings, one needs to look no further than the use of lead in paints for an example of what can be achieved with a little focus on sustainability.

Lead was determined to be responsible for behavioral problems, learning disabilities, seizures, and even death. Since a common route of entry for children was the ingestion of paint flakes, the industry stepped up and eliminated lead in architectural and industrial paints.