Green Seal Expands Standard for Paints, Coatings

by | Nov 10, 2015

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green_seal2Green Seal has expanded its GS-11 standard to cover most types of architectural coatings on the market today.

The new edition of GS-11, a compilation of the previous edition of GS-11 and the GS-47 Standard for Stains and Finishes, includes floor coatings, concrete and masonry sealers, and fire resistive coatings, in addition to paints, primers, anti-corrosive coatings and reflective coatings. Clear and transparent coatings are also included in the 24 product categories that are now eligible for certification.

The new Green Seal standard offers greater flexibility for the assessment of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and aligns with VOC limits set by the current California Air Resources Board.

The standard also addresses:

  • Stains and finishes for wood and metal previously covered by the GS-47 Standard
  • Clarifications on certain criteria for chemical ingredients, reflecting the current market for leadership products

Green Seal’s redesigned GS-11 promotes the creation of safer coatings by restricting a comprehensive list of harmful chemicals, including heavy metals, certain phthalates, formaldehyde donors, carcinogens, mutagens, reproductive toxins, hazardous air pollutants, and ozone depleting compounds. Certain exceptions are made for titanium dioxide, carbon black, crystalline silica, and PCBTF because they are necessary for acceptable performance and feasible alternatives are currently lacking.

Green Seal is developing a new environmental leadership standard for architectural insulation materials.

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