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Sustainability and Powder Coatings VS. Liquid Coatings

 

Powder coatings stand out from traditional liquid coatings in 3 key environmental aspects: the hazardous chemicals they contain, waste generation and durability. 


Composition: Traditional liquid paints contain toxic, volatile and flammable chemicals that are not present in powder paints. These hazardous chemicals affect living beings and the environment in general, are carcinogenic and increase global warming through the emission of greenhouse gases and others that damage the ozone layer. The elements present in these paints include carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, lead, arsenic, mercury and cadmium. 


Powder coatings, on the other hand, have inert components and do not generate health or environmental hazards; they are a dry mixture of resins, pigments, additives and curing agents designed to melt, mix and interlock at moderate temperatures (350º F and 400º F). Powder coating works through the use of compressed air and natural, temperature-based electrostatic reactions.


Waste generation: This is another major environmental difference between liquid and powder coating. Liquid paint generates a large amount of waste when applied and can range from 50 to 70% excess, even in the hands of an experienced painter. On an industrial scale, this contributes to a substantial amount of inefficiency and waste.


Powder coatings use organic products that are safe to apply, are sprayed with propellants using compressed air and generate little pollution to the atmosphere.  It is also an accurate method of application on metals because the powder uses an electrostatic reaction, in which it is attracted to adhere to the object. As a result there is very little waste and what is not left on the object can be recovered and reused.


The little waste that powder coating may generate can be disposed of as ordinary waste, as it contains no heavy metal residues and is inert.


Durability: Powder coatings have a long service life, which reduces the level of maintenance, touch-up and repainting during the life of the object. As a result, fewer chemicals and waste-generating materials are used throughout the required touch-up and recoating. This is a great advantage over liquid paint applications, as these contain solvents that make them prone to flaking and chipping, making them unsightly and susceptible to rust. 


We can conclude that due to its characteristics, powder paint is environmentally friendly as it does not generate greenhouse gases, does not contain flammable or toxic solvents and, in addition, its residues can be reused in case they are discarded, since they do not contaminate as they are inert and can be deposited with ordinary waste. Finally, one of the most relevant aspects is their greater durability compared to liquid paints, as they are more resistant to wear and tear due to friction and exposure to sunlight, which saves money and resources for maintenance.