Paints and coatings companies have not responded comprehensively to requests from the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) that they register certain coatings ingredients in the now completed second registration process under European Union (EU) chemical control system REACH.

ECHA says that by the May 31 deadline for registering chemicals made, used or imported in quantities of 100t or more, there were 984 substances left unregistered that companies had earlier promised to register. Until they are registered, these chemicals cannot be used in the EU unless companies use less than 100t/yr of them.

Coating ingredients aluminium silicate; iron oxide black; calcium silicide; silane, dichlorodimethyl-reaction products with silica; and more were left unregistered, as were turpentine, petroleum resins, plus paraffin and hydrocarbon waxes, oxidised.

That said, ECHA deemed the registration round a success: by May 31, 3215 companies had submitted 9084 registration dossiers for chemicals manufactured or imported in quantities from 100 to 1000t/yr. The last REACH registration deadline for substances manufactured or imported in quantities above one tonne/yr is May 31, 2018.

Other EU paint and coating news:

ECHA wants comments from chemical-based companies on its plans for a multi-annual work programme spanning 2014-2018. It is focused on four long-term strategic goals: improving the quality of chemical information; better use of that information for risk management and control; addressing scientific challenges; and improving agency efficiency and effectiveness. Comments by July 15. http://echa.europa.eu/public-consultation-on-the-multi-annual-work-programme

ECHA held an information day on June 25 in Helsinki for companies seeking advice on the new EU biocides regulation that comes into force on September 1, http://echa. europa.eu/documents/10162/ 11106628/bshd_draft_agenda_web_en.pdf
A €3.4M EU research project developing new water-based clear coating systems for wood with improved UV-absorbing properties and water-based thermoplastic wood adhesives with improved mechanical properties has been completed (on May 31). The Woodlife project exploited nanoparticles based on CeO2, ZnO and TiO2 chemicals. http://www.woodlifeproject.com/

European paint companies exporting to South Korea will, from January 2015, have to comply with a chemical control law based on REACH principles. As with the EU, the law involves the registration of chemicals with a regulator, with chemicals imported by up to 100t/yr having to be registered by January 1, 2015, with later deadlines for 70t annual imports, 50t, 20t and finally 10t on January 1, 2020.

Non-South Korean manufacturers will be required to have a local representative facilitating their compliance with the new K-REACH law, once it takes effect on January 1, 2015.