COMMITTEES
Decorative Coatings
Decorative Coatings Council
Chaired by Vincent O’Sullivan, PPG Architectural Coatings
Much of the discussion at the Decorative Coatings Council in
2018 was on the continuing efforts to defend TiO 2 , where at a
minimum industry hopes to achieve a classification exemption
for paints, coatings and printing inks. The group also agreed on
the short term ambition and strategy for the BCF’s PaintCare
programme. The short term focus will be on recycling leftover
paint into concrete and improving recycling of plastic packaging.
The new PaintSafe initiative was rolled out, with over 20,000
leaflets sent to trade outlets across the UK. The Council also
discussed the VOC Globe, which was successfully transferred
to the BCF in 2018 from B&Q. Major concerns for the future
include how to preserve waterbased products, with likely loss of
Methylisothiazolinone (MIT) and pressure on other biocides, and
of course the impact of Brexit.
Decorative Coatings Technical Committee
Chaired by Gareth Hayfield, Farrow & Ball
The DCTC held three meetings during the course of 2018, with
specific focus on the following topics:
• CLP classification / reclassification of key substances - TiO 2 ,
biocides, Methylethyl ketone oxime (MEKO), Cobalt
• BPR decisions on different active substances, especially
isothiazolinones
• ‘Biocide/preservative-free’ deco paints in the German
market
• Zero VOC claims in the decorative paints market (there
are still companies using such claims, which the BCF have
challenged through both Trading Standard and through the
Advertising Standards Authority)
• Actions to be taken by members relating to the
reclassification of MEKO
• The former B&Q VOC labelling scheme, which has now
been adopted by the BCF
• Microplastics and the proposed ECHA Restriction, and how
this might affect both the future formulation of decorative
paints and instructions with regard to brush cleaning
• The PEF project, and progress with introducing this as a
possible voluntary initiative during the course of 2019-2020
(a workshop took place March 2019)
• Indoor Air legislation requirements, and the new UK
Government’s Clean Air strategy that may introduce such
requirements into the UK market
• The PaintSafe initiative, with the publication of a tri-fold
leaflet intended for professional decorators
• The comprehensive revision of BS 6150 ‘Code of Practice
for the Painting of Buildings’ which was carried out by a BSI
panel of experts with excellent support from BCF members.
The structure of this document was fundamentally altered
BCF ANNUAL HANDBOOK 2019/20
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to make it more accessible. As a result, the document was
reduced from 176 to approx. 130 pages.
The possibility of putting a shelf life or Period After Opening
(PAO) type phrase onto deco paints, in preparation for the
possibility of reduced storage stability of paints in case the
industry is forced to move away from isothiazolinones due
to the BPR and CLP decisions
The new Poison Centre legislation, which will be challenging
for the deco sector to implement by January 2020
The list of challenges facing this sector continues to lengthen, and
members remain engaged with BCF advocacy activities with the
EU and UK authorities, and our initiatives to try and alleviate the
pressures being placed on the members.