The Future of Paint is Green
With its leaps and bounds in green technology, Plascon is leading the charge with a phalanx of eco-wise coatings.
26/05/2021
In the light of growing climate change concerns and youth eco-activists like Greta Thunberg calling us all to task, we’re increasingly taking more and more meaningful steps to reduce our impact on the environment. This is happening across all sectors of industry. The marked shift by no means excludes the very coatings we apply to the walls, roofs and surfaces of our homes, businesses, factories, machinery and modes of transport, and covers anything from the way these paints are manufactured to the substances they contain.
With its leaps and bounds in green technology, Plascon is leading the charge with a phalanx of eco-wise coatings. The first of these innovations is the brand’s introduction of APEO free formulations.
APEO compounds are bio-accumulative compounds which, when released into the environment, can be toxic to human and wildlife, especially marine life. Most of the commonly used roof paints contain APEOs that eventually leach into waterways through rain and drainage and contaminate our environment. APEOs that accumulate in water systems become toxic to aquatic organisms. It should also be noted that not only does APEOs affect our environment but in large doses it can also disrupt hormonal systems in humans.
According to Dr Kevin Winter from the University of Cape Town’s Future Water Organisation: “APEOs are found in a variety of products including paints, packaging and cleaning agents.”
Contribute to a safer and healther planet by choosing to use APEO-free products. One product that is free of APEO chemicals is Plascon's TradePro Roof & More.
Water, although a reusable resource, still needs to be treated responsibly and conserved in order to avoid pollution and shortages. As a water-scarce country, South Africa needs to use water more responsibly by rainwater harvesting from roofs. Now you can be assured that Plascon TradePro Roof & More is APEO-free and safe for the harvesting of rainwater for non-potable use.
Another threat to environmental conservation is the plastic pandemic. Six decades ago, mass production of plastics began. This has since produced 8.3 billion tons of plastic, of which an estimated 90% is not recycled, with approximately 8 million tons ending up in oceans annually.
Plastic products have an excessive life expectancy and almost every piece of plastic created and sent to a landfill or dumped in the environment is still around for a long, long time and putting additional strain on our sensitive environment, increasing the urgent need to reduce plastic waste and to find sustainable ways to recycle existing plastic products. To honour this call, Plascon has introduced black buckets to its premium range, which are made of up to 70% upcycled material.
As the need increases to reduce the amount of solid waste entering landfills and polluting the environment, upcycling comes to the fore. A good example of this is the way we take old paint buckets and use these to produce new ones of equal quality but with a much lower manufacturing impact. Through this process, we can reduce carbon emissions by extending the shelf life of used materials thereby reducing the energy and natural resources needed for new materials to be created. By upcycling, not only do we stop more longwearing pollutants going to landfills, but also reduce the environmental footprint, having saved the cost of manufacturing, packaging and transporting new materials.
Providing the same structural integrity, upcycled buckets have become part of the Plascon premium range that includes Plascon Micatex, Double Velvet Pure, Nuroof Cool and Wall & All, Velvaglo Water-Based and Cashmere. The move brings consumers the renowned and trusted quality of these brands along with the peace of mind of knowing that they’re making the most responsible choice for the environment.
With the global shift toward water-based products, consumers are understanding that these products offer equal, if not better, quality with added benefits that include faster drying times, lower associated costs and minimal impact to the environment and the health and well-being of consumers.
Plascon Velvaglo Water-Based Enamel is just one product in the extensive range of water-based products offered by Plascon. Leading the field in water-based alternatives, Plascon Velvaglo Water-Based Enamel is prized for its superior strength, satin finish and versatility. Formulated with a unique water-based acrylic hybrid called AquatoughTM, Plascon Velvaglo Water-Based Enamel offers all the toughness of a solvent-based enamel. This includes UV, flaking and stain resistance, with non-drip properties, while remaining environmentally friendly and non-toxic.
Of particular concern with conventional solvent-based products, is the associated risk of VOC or volatile organic compound emission. This has become a major societal concern with VOC pollution on the rise. VOCs are chemicals emitted from production processes and common household items. These chemicals accumulate in the air and can have short- and long-term adverse health effects.
Plascon have removed VOCs from their premium products and further engineered them to remove VOCs from the air.
One VOC in particular, known as formaldehyde, presents a growing cause for concern. Emitted from common household items, such as upholstery, carpeting and household cleaning agents, formaldehyde has the potential to pollute the air and compromise our health.
In 2020, Plascon pioneered a first for the South African market - a paint with Air Purifying Technology. Plascon Double Velvet Pure has the ability to actively improve the quality of indoor air by removing Formaldehyde from the air that you breathe, making your home and workspace a safer environment for you, your co-workers and family. A special compound in the formula removes and permanently transforms the formaldehyde in the air into undetectable, harmless water vapour, which is safe for breathing.
The reengineered product retains all of its premium quality, strength and elegance as well as its existing leading technologies such as the Stain BarrierTM, to make cleaning away life’s messier moments a breeze; Silver ProtectTM to inhibit mould and bacterial growth; and BreatheasyTM to minimise odour and ensure cleaner, breathable air.
For more information visit www.plascon.com