Leaders in Product Stewardship
Some have argued that paint and coatings by its very nature is already a sustainable product in that it protects and extends the life of many important assets, whether at home, in an automobile or on commercial infrastructure. Overall, the Canadian paint and coatings industry is proud to have accomplished much in terms of sustainability. The industry has gone much further to ensure strong product stewardship is maintained and enhanced throughout the product life-cycle, from product development through hazard communications, chemical regulatory compliance, transportation of dangerous goods, and customer response to end-of-life requirements.
Foundation of Sustainability
The first step in global product stewardship is ensuring full compliance with existing standards and regulations for the safe manufacturing, shipment and sale of products. The coatings industry strives to provide high performing, chemical-based products in a way that minimizes the risk to human health and the environment. These products are subject to many regulations for the safe use of chemicals for specific markets.
CPCA has supported member companies on regulatory compliance for many years with focused advocacy. Now it has taken compliance to a new level with a comprehensive CoatingsHUB that ensures no stone is left unturned in protecting the reputation of established company brands.
Enabling Sustainability
The coatings industry has become an enabler for many end users who seek to realize their sustainability goals. There have been tremendous reductions in VOC emissions from production to consumption in the supply chain with no and low-VOC products now the norm. In addition to extensive R&D in seeking product innovation other key drivers of sustainability for industry include strict retailer guidelines for low-VOC products, green building certifications for better life-cycle assessments, availability of cost-effective chemical alternatives and greater efficiencies from the scarcity of raw materials.
The Canadian Council of Ministers on the Environment (CCME), comprised of 10 provincial Ministers of Environment and the federal Minister, noted the impressive progress in paint recycling stating:
There is only one product category that is consistently well-covered across the country by regulations (either EPR or product stewardship) with programs operating province-wide to divert materials from landfill, and that is used paint.
An Impressive Track Record on Sustainability
