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New paint range halves carbon and water footprint

2/2/2010

Three year research project into paint sustainability produces new Dulux range.

Dulux has halved the levels of water and carbon in its product as a result of an in-depth research project. As well as halving the carbon and water footprint of the standard paint the company was selling two years ago, its upcoming Ecosense range has 40 per cent less waste, and volatile organic compounds have been virtually eliminated.

The product is one of a range of green, money-saving and money-making innovations to come out of a three-year project which studied how to improve the sustainability of paint across its lifecycle. They are detailed in the report Paint the town green, which explains how businesses in other areas can profit by applying the same sustainable innovation methods.

David Brunt, global environment and sustainability director, ICI Paints AkzoNobel, which owns Dulux, said: "By studying the entire life cycle of paint we've found many ways to make it more sustainable and gain competitive advantage. We are seizing these opportunities by launching eco-friendly paints, lighter packaging, new recycling services and other innovations."

Forum for the Future collaborated on the three-year project with AkzoNobel, and published the Paint the town green report. The report outlines new products and services ICI Paints AkzoNobel has launched, including:

• improved cans which use less plastic and are easier to clean and recycle
• a recycling scheme in which vehicles delivering paint to Dulux Decorator Centres bring back used cans.
• a mobile brush and roller cleaning station for building sites: instead of pouring contaminated water down the drains it is captured for reuse with the paint residue filtered out.
• manufacturing improvements which save millions of litres of water used in cleaning production equipment by using it to make new paint.

The Ecosense range comprises:

• Dulux Ecosense Matt, available in 20 colours. It has 50 per cent less embodied carbon and water and 40 per cent less waste than the Dulux Matt 2008 formulation. It has no added solvent and uses 20 per centrecycled packaging.
• Dulux Ecosense Satinwood, available in five colours. It has 35 per cent less embodied carbon, 75 per cent less water, 15 per cent less waste and 90 per cent less solvent than the Dulux solvent-based Satinwood 2008 formulation. It uses 20 per cent recycled packaging.

The paint will be available from next month.