Coatings regulation

Surface Coatings International Part B 84,No.Bl, Jan. 2001, p.11-20 COATINGS, REGULATIONS AND THE ENVIRONMENT REVIEWED... 

A review is given of the relationships between coatings, regulations and the environment. Mention is made of classification and labelling, the dangerous substances directive, the dangerous preparations directive, market restrictions, occupational exposure limits, and solvent controls. 11 refs. 

Fahie BJ, Nangia A, Chopra SK, et al. Use of NMR imaging in (he optimization of a compression-coated regulated release system. J Control Release 1998 51(2-3) 179-184. 

Coating Regulations Workshop, April 8-9, 1997, EPA s Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, Durham, NC. 

Control of relative humidity is needed to maintain the strength, pHabiUty, and moisture regain of hygroscopic materials such as textiles and paper. Humidity control may also be required in some appHcations to reduce the effect of static electricity. Temperature and/or relative humidity may also have to be controlled in order to regulate the rate of chemical or biochemical reactions, such as the drying of varnishes, the appHcation of sugar coatings, the preparation of synthetic fibers and other chemical compounds, or the fermentation of yeast. 

Polymers and Coatings Advances ia polymer chemistry have resulted ia many successful medical devices, including diagnostic assays (26). Polymers (qv), which can be manufactured ia a wide range of compositions, ate used to enhance speed, sensitivity, and versatiUty of both biosensors and dry chemistry systems to measure vital analytes. Their properties can be regulated by composition variations and modifications. Furthermore, polymers can be configured iato simple to complex shapes. 

Filtration and water-knockout systems are used to clean up the gas before it enters a compressor. Cooling systems are sometimes required to maintain compressor discharge temperatures below 54°C to avoid damage to the pipeline s protective coatings. Automated compressor stations are typically staffed by maintenance and repair personnel eight hours per day, five days per week. Other stations are staffed on a 24-hour basis because personnel must start, stop, and regulate compressors in response to orders from the dispatch office. 

Because branched ketones and aromatic hydrocarbons are used for their cost/performance benefits, they became the solvents of choice for many apphcations. Numerous solvent systems had to be reformulated to comply with Rule 66. This usually meant an increase in cost, sometimes accompanied by performance degradation. Rule 66-type regulations were adopted in many other states and cities as well. Federal specifications for coatings and many other solvent-containing materials also incorporate Rule 66 requirements. 

Use as Solvent. Toluene is more important as a solvent than either benzene or xylene. Solvent use accounts for ca 14% of the total U.S. toluene demand for chemicals. About two-thirds of the solvent use is in paints and coatings the remainder is in adhesives, inks, pharmaceuticals, and other formulated products utilizing a solvent carrier. Use of toluene as solvent in surface coatings has been declining, primarily because of various environmental and health regulations. It is being replaced by other solvents, such as esters and ketones, and by changing the product formulation to use either fully soHd systems or water-based emulsion systems. 

Adsorption of Metal Ions and Ligands. The sohd—solution interface is of greatest importance in regulating the concentration of aquatic solutes and pollutants. Suspended inorganic and organic particles and biomass, sediments, soils, and minerals, eg, in aquifers and infiltration systems, act as adsorbents. The reactions occurring at interfaces can be described with the help of surface-chemical theories (surface complex formation) (25). The adsorption of polar substances, eg, metal cations, M, anions. A, and weak acids, HA, on hydrous oxide, clay, or organically coated surfaces may be described in terms of surface-coordination reactions ... 

Solvent Recovery. Most of the activated carbon used in gas-phase applications is employed to prevent the release of volatile organic compounds into the atmosphere. Much of this use has been in response to environmental regulations, but recovery and recycling of solvents from a range of industrial processes such as printing, coating, and extmsion of fibers also provides substantial economic benefits. 

The actual coated fabrics themselves are not subject to these federal regulations. They are classified as "Articles of Commerce." However, in recent years most manufacturers have, for the convenience of their customers, generated an MSDS for their products. Their customers, the manufacturers, and contractors using these coated fabrics have requested this information because they are also covered under federal and state "Right to Know" laws and want to ensure the safety of their employees. 

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