Identification of factors affecting the reduction of VOC emissions in the paint industry: Systematic literature review - SLR

In recent years, the interest of the manufacturing industry in new perspectives aimed at sustainability has increased, driving the manufacture of paints to use alternatives that help to reduce the impacts generated by the emission of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs); these impacts are especially negative since they have environmental consequences related to atmospheric pollution and social consequences due to their harmful effects on human health. The economic field has a positive effect due to the performance and varied application of the coatings in different industries. A systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted to identify factors that contribute to the reduction of VOCs emissions in the coating industry. Search equations were proposed with selected keywords, reading and selection of articles, analysis and classification of the information and finally plotting the data with the use of VantagePoint software. A total of 51 articles were selected for analysis, finding three key factors. (1) green chemistry, based on the formulation of paints from the use and/or synthesis of raw materials with renewable materials; (2) incorporation of cleaner production strategies which involves the change of paint technology, such as water-based, powdered, or with variation of the solids content; and (3) regulations and standards that must be complied with regarding VOCs emissions and that depend on the type of industries and the country where they are applied. Polyurethane resins were identified as the most studied for VOCs abatement. The paints market has focused on new sources to develop environmentally friendly materials, introducing manufacturing processes and technologies that combine sustainability and performance in this industry.