High Performance Coatings are paints and other protective coating products used for surfaces that are subject to lots of humidity, direct water contact, heavy foot or equipment traffic or other physical abuse such as floors, showers, food prep areas, operating rooms and toilet stalls. Many of these products have significant toxic chemical content including bisphenol A (BPA), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and others. Of the products we reviewed, there is no known use of renewable content or renewable energy in this sector yet.

IAQ & Other Toxic User Exposure

Incomplete data: HBN undertook the initial assessments utilizing chemical listings on MSDSes and other public documents. Many MSDSes are quite incomplete, listing only a portion of the chemicals used in the product. For the many incomplete products, we have added an additional content entry representing the kind of material contents we have found in our research; ingredients that are typically used in similar products where manufacturers did disclose information. Manufacturers can provide Pharos with a complete ingredient list and be able to improve their scores in one or both of the toxics categories.

Chemicals of concern: Many of the products get poor scores for toxicity because they contain high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and/or other non-volatile, though still toxic, chemicals. For example, two-part epoxy resin high performance coatings are commonly made using bisphenol A (BPA) and epichlorohydrin. BPA is a red flagged chemical (linked to reproductive and hormone problems) that is showing up widely in biomonitoring studies. The EPA has identified BPA as a chemical of concern and some states are considering bans on BPA in children's bottles and sippy cups, and some food can liners. Click here for HBN's in depth analysis of BPA in high performance coatings. Epichlorohydrin is listed as a red flagged chemical (identified by IARC as a carcinogen and other authoritative bodies as a reproductive toxicant). Some of the coatings in Pharos contain a black flagged chemical - nonyl phenol - a persistent bioaccumulative toxicant.

Tints: Most products come from lines offering different color options, each with a different MSDS to disclose the unique material content of the mixture. The product assessments in Pharos are generally based upon only one of many product offerings, usually a clear, neutral or white product. Added tints can be substantial sources of additional VOC content far higher than that listed on the product MSDS or technical data sheet. Darker and richer colors will tend to be higher in VOC content. Some manufacturers have developed low or zero VOC tint lines that can be used to insure that a low VOC paint product remains so even in dark or rich colors. In contrast, chemicals of concern like titanium dioxide may be in a white-based product, but not in a neutral or tint based one.

Manufacturing & Community Toxics

The significant hazardous content of these products is reflected in similar hazardous chemical usage in manufacturing, posing risks to workers and the surrounding community. For example, much of the science that is available regarding human exposures to BPA is from testing of factory workers who experienced changes in their reproductive system after working daily with epoxy-based spray paints or coatings.

Renewable Material

We have not yet found products in this category made with significant quantities of recycled or bio-based contents.

Renewable Energy

We have not yet found manufacturers in this category who publicly report using significant quantities of renewable energy in their manufacturing facilities.

Certifications & Standards

GreenSeal has voluntary standards that apply to certain High Performance Coatings, including paints, floor coatings and anti-corrosives. The Green Seal standards limit VOC content and some chemical content. Few products in this category, however, have received GreenSeal certification.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) sets regulatory standards for VOCs found in high performance coatings (and most other wet-applied products) sold in Southern California. Its VOC content threshold standards are the strictest in the United States and, in fact in most product categories, are equal or more rigorous than the GreenSeal thresholds. Unlike GreenSeal, however, SCAQMD does not limit other specific toxic chemical content.

Limitations of VOC measures: Both GreenSeal and SCAQMD certifications focus on VOCs only. Neither addresses many of the other toxic chemicals found in high performance coatings. Moreover, regulatory VOC content listings are an imperfect measure of potential health effects for several reasons. The content measure standard is designed to reduce smog formation, and therefore exempts VOCs that aren't smog producing even though they may be hazardous to occupant health. Total VOC content also mixes together chemicals that may vary widely in hazard and potency, just as a total fat label would on a nutrition label. A VOC content measure also does not measure what chemicals may be formed and released in the process of a product curing. Emissions testing is required to address these issues but is still at an early stage of development for these product categories.