Ecopaint: a new water‐based recyclable paint system

The UK Environmental Protection Act imposes very strict controls on paint and other coating systems. These include the reduction and eventual elimination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs); the elimination of offensive odours; and much tighter controls on waste disposal. Ecopaint is a revolutionary new water‐based paint with very low levels of organic solvent, greatly reduced odours and can be recycled and reused. Overspray can be reused using ultrafiltration methods, ensuring 100 per cent paint utilization and the elimination of paint waste. This system represents a fundamental advance in industrial painting processes. It provides an entirely new concept for the coating industry and is suitable for a wide range of applications, pointing the way forward in the UK to cost‐effective and environmentally‐acceptable painting systems.