Published on August 29, 2013
The ever depleting environment and the resultant consequences have raised several eye brows. Increased environmental awareness and he dire need to save our planet from further harm has put pressure on every industry to look for greener alternatives and to establish a sustainable economy. The same is true for the global solvents industry.
Solvents are majorly used for manufacturing paints and coatings. This industry also helps produce inks, adhesives, pharmaceuticals, metal and dry- cleaning solutions, and agricultural products.
Developed countries are seeking to develop greener solvents with growing concerns over health hazards to humans. Recent years have seen a steep decline in the demand for traditional solvents outside of China. Economies like USA and Europe have stringent environmental regulations, possess technologies that consume little, if any solvent; and enhanced solvent recycling and recovery. Industrialized countries are under immense pressure to eliminate emissions that result in lower atmospheric smog and numerous health hazards. The perfect solvent is not available in most cases and thus manufacturers often have to compromise on cost or quality in order to prevent negative impacts on the environment. Strict regulations in US and Europe emerged with the European passage of the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals, which necessitates toxicity evaluation of thousands of substances. To meet the terms of the solvent-emission regulation, producers have the alternative to set up engineering controls to limit emissions.
As per a recent global chemical market research report, China accounted for majority of the total solvent consumption, followed by Europe and North America. Demand for solvents is likely to increase in China with off shoring of industrial processes to this developing country. Processes like coating of wood, furniture, assembling of shoes etc. consume solvents at a greater scale.
Solvents come under the category of being the most broadly regulated classes of chemicals. These chemicals are considered as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which contribute to lower-level ozone formation.
The paints and coatings industry is the largest consumer of solvents and accounts for the largest share of the global solvent market of solvent use. Recent years have seen development of technologies like powder coatings, high-solids, waterborne coatings etc. that use considerably lesser amount of solvents, however half of the coatings used are still solvent-based. Thus there continues to be significant usage of solvents. But with restrictive coatings regulations, developed and industrialized countries are expecting to see a marked decline in the use of solvents by the paints and coatings industry. In fact, the United States promotes and encourages the use of VOC-exempt solvents that have negligible contribution to lower atmospheric pollution.
A strong R&D base will help the solvents industry in its quest for greener alternatives. The “Green Chemistry” movement supports the use of solvents that pose no threats to human health or the environment. Research on efficiency of green solvents like supercritical carbon dioxide, ionic liquids etc. are being conducted. The heightened environmental awareness, strong global green movement and stringent regulations will support the solvents industry’s pursuit for solvents with lower ecological and toxicological profiles.
