Sustainability has emerged as a key issue across the globe. While the specific interpretations and implications are complex and can vary among stakeholders, most agree that sustainability entails creating value through environmental stewardship, social responsibility and economic growth – both now and for future generations. Sustainability includes making balanced choices and pursuing solutions that are best for communities, countries, businesses and the world. Rigorous tools such as life cycle assessment (LCA) are vital to generate insight and promote a more holistic understanding of environmental benefits, burdens and trade-offs. Life cycle approaches can be helpful to decision makers and stakeholders at all levels.
Automotive paint shop operations at OEMs around the world have experienced significant regulatory changes1 in the past 30 years. The environmental debate originally focused on VOC emissions and associated air quality issues. Regulations were enacted in many regions to control VOC emissions, while the technology to meet the performance standards was left open. European OEMs implemented waterborne (WB) basecoat technology as an alternative to conventional low-solids solventborne (LSSB) technology in order to help meet the increasingly stringent VOC standards. Individual paint shop facilities differ in the degree to which VOC abatement technologies, such as regenerative thermal oxidation, are required to meet local air quality regulations. WB basecoat technology has helped some facilities reduce or eliminate the need for abatement.2,3