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A new European Union law is set to strike at the heart of British government 鈥� well, at least knock loudly on its front door. The volatile organic compound (VOC) paints and varnishes directive will prevent decorators from using high-gloss paint, which means, among other things, that the world-famous door to 10 Downing Street will look less shiny in future.

High-gloss paint is to be outlawed because the EU is imposing limits on organic solvents. These solvents give gloss paint its shine, but when drying give off VOCs, which in still, sunny conditions react with nitrogen oxide to produce smog (see 鈥淥rganic solvents鈥�).

The EU directive controlling VOC emissions from paints, varnishes and vehicle-finishing products has to be implemented by the British government in two stages on 1 January 2007 and 1 January 2010. Hugh Williams, technical manager at the British Coatings Federation, says that it鈥檚 the second deadline manufacturers and specifiers should worry about (see table).

鈥淭o reduce VOCs in paint from 400 to 300 grams/litre is quite a big technological challenge. Solvent-borne paint will virtually disappear in 2010,鈥� he predicts. Williams says that it is important for specifiers to understand the changes. 鈥淭he specifier should be aware that if they want an 80 to 90% high-gloss finish in 2010, that type of coating may not be available.鈥�

As well as providing a mirror-like surface, solvent-based paint has other qualities that manufacturers could find hard to replicate in water-borne paint. The colour is less likely to fade and it has a higher opacity, which means it requires fewer coats to obliterate the colour underneath. Water-borne paint can also be difficult to apply in the cold. It freezes at a higher temperature than solvent-borne paint, and so is more likely to be damaged if applied during cold weather. Decorators must be careful not to apply it at less than 5掳C and it is vital not to store it outside in case it freezes and becomes unusable.

At the other end of the scale, in humid conditions there is a danger that the water in water-borne paint will not evaporate and will become trapped in the paint. The decorator also has to be more careful preparing and cleaning surfaces before application as it less forgiving towards dirt and dust than solvent-borne paint.

John Carlyle, technical manager in charge of specification at coatings manufacturer Akzo Nobel, says other solutions may be possible. 鈥淭he chemists in the paint industry have four years to come up with a water-based alternative to solvent-borne paint,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 anticipate modification rather than new technology.鈥�

Carlyle says that chemists will need to find ways of reducing the amount of solvent required but maintain paint鈥檚 viscosity. This type of resin technology is not new but it does have cost implications.

Tony Newbold, deputy chief executive at the BCF, believes that changing the formulation of the paint may have knock-on effects. 鈥淚f you change the polymer technology it could affect something else such as durability, flow characteristics or glossiness. In some cases, new approaches to applications will be required.鈥�

David Powis, chief executive of the Painting and Decorating Association, is sanguine about the changes. 鈥淲e have already got used to water-borne paint,鈥� he says. 鈥淚n terms of application it鈥檚 not that different, but in terms of cleaning up afterwards it鈥檚 much easier with water-borne paint as you don鈥檛 need white spirit or turpentine.鈥�

Newbold believes it is important that decorators and specifiers are aware of how paint will change. He says that specifiers understand that there might be an additional cost in achieving the performance required and says that decorators must be trained in good time to understand new application methods.

The directive is being implemented in the UK through the VOCs in Paints, Varnishes and Vehicle Refinishing Regulations 2005, which is currently in consultation and will be in place by 30 October 2005. The legislation will largely affect trim 鈥� such as door frames, skirting and mouldings 鈥� which has traditionally been painted in solvent-borne glossy paint in the UK. Other countries will be affected to differing degrees. In Mediterranean and Scandinavian countries trim is rarely painted in gloss; the French, on the other hand, have a penchant for shiny walls and may have to rethink their notions of interior design.

Apart from a reduction in incidences of ruined trousers, a move away from solvent-borne paint will save European health services up to 拢109m by cutting smog. On the down side, the industry will have to pay for its implementation. At the last count, the UK government estimated that it would cost 拢3.9m to implement phase one and 拢76.7m for phase two.