SANDEFJORD, Norway - Consistent with the company’s environmental initiative, Jotun GreenSteps, paint and coating manufacturer Jotun has announced plans to phase out lead chromates from all paint and coatings formulations worldwide. The company is scheduled to phase out lead chromates in 2014, which will make it compliant with new EU REACH regulations and give Jotun a leading global position in the phasing out of lead chromates from all formulations for all product categories.

Jotun’s Project Manager Jens Christoffer Markmanrud notes that lead chromates are still legal in many markets where the company is active. “This global phase out applies to paints and coatings in all segments, worldwide,” he says. “It is a big step, but we are confident that by substituting lead chromates with safer, high-performing alternatives, we can make a big difference.”

The company launched GreenSteps in 2011 to improve Jotun’s environmental performance over a broad range of areas, including hazardous materials, carbon footprint, reducing VOC emissions, energy consumption and waste. “GreenSteps also broadcasts the work the company does to develop safer, more effective paints and coatings solutions that help customers improve their environmental performance,” says Markmanrud.

In addition to investing more resources to produce safer, more environmentally responsible coatings, Jotun is exploring new ways of managing pigments and colors to achieve better results. By combining primer colors and topcoat colors, Jotun can offer a superior finish compared to less advanced alternatives.