Silicones are volatile, synthetic polymers. If released in the air, silicones in the gaseous state can spread across a room and also travel great distances where they can settle onto parts that are to be painted later. But that’s not all. Over a period of time, the particles can detach, spread again and settle elsewhere including, for instance, on filter and ventilation systems of paint cabins. In such cases, silicones can have a so-called repellent effect. This means that paint can no longer adhere to these contaminated parts at a later stage or, if at all, only at a considerable loss of quality – often identified as “silicone craters” or “fisheyes” on the paint surface.