Less than 1 percent solvent is present in powder coatings, and the application and curing processes are almost pollution free. As of yet, powder-coating techniques have not been successfully applied to finish coatings at full production volumes in the United States. In Germany, BMW and Mercedes Benz have successfully implemented powder coatings for finishing operations. Water often can be used to clean and purge equipment that applies water-borne coatings, further decreasing emissions of VOCs into the air. This change in purging practices also may reduce the generation of hazardous waste.
Powder coatings offer even greater pollution prevention potential.
Blown air or a vacuum system is all that is required to clean and purge powder-coating equipment. Powder coatings thus eliminate volatile air emissions and any liquid waste stream that may be generated by other cleaning and purging processes. Product Redesign Plastic parts offer a unique pollution prevention opportunity when considering painting and coating operations. Product redesign strategies that utilize mold-in color plastics eliminate the need not only for finishing, but also for priming. For exterior surfaces, a clear coat may be needed to achieve the gloss and scratch-resistant characteristics expected in an automotive coating.