In addition to their durability and ease of application, powder coatings offer important environmental benefits to the paint industry. No solvents are used when sprayed and there are minimal volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released. Any material that does not adhere to the substrate after spraying can be collected and used again, resulting in very little waste.
Since a solvent-free effect pigment powder must be used in powder coatings, a large release of dust is caused as it is being processed and handled. For metallic pigments, the dust not only poses an inhalation hazard, but is potentially explosive if clouds of dust are generated. This risk increases with the fineness of the pigments and requires special safety precautions to mitigate.