As an advocate and voice for the coatings industry, the American Coatings Association engages with regulatory agencies and legislators at the federal, state, and local levels in the areas of air quality, environmental requirements, chemicals management, occupational safety and health, and sustainability. In the global arena, �鶹��Ƶmonitors and tracks these same issues, conducting its advocacy under the umbrella of the World Coatings Council (WCC) and its members.

The WCC is a network of trade associations for the paint and coatings industry in nations around the world. It provides a forum for the exchange of information and cooperation on major issues and priorities facing the industry. Founded in the early 1990s, the WCC established itself as a global voice for the industry. The council was established to ensure that the industry, in coordinating the development of policy on international issues, fully discussed and analyzed global implications.

When legislative or regulatory issues arise around the globe, usually the nation where the issue originates will become the lead advocate for the paint industry. ACA, WCC, and other council members will provide technical and strategic assistance to the nation’s trade association that is most knowledgeable about the domestic paint industry and the regulatory agency. This framework allows the global industry to participate in the advocacy effort and impact the course of the issue.

Here is a short list of issues that �鶹��Ƶis working on in the international arena:

Mexican Proposed Rulemaking on Architectural Coatings

Mexico is currently revising its architectural coating volatile organic compound (VOC) official Mexican standard—Normas Oficiales Mexicanas, or NOM. The proposal applies to eight categories and proposes corresponding limits consistent with the 2019 California Architectural and Industrial Maintenance (AIM) Suggested Control Measure (SCM).

However, the draft of the Mexico architectural coatings proposal contains many other provisions that are not consistent with the 2019 SCM regulation in several respects. The proposal’s definitions and small-container exemption are different. In addition, the proposed NOM includes burdensome conformity assessment provisions that would require coatings manufacturers to register with the Mexican government and submit a declaration of compliance and sample product labels to confirm VOC content.

To demonstrate compliance, the proposal requires supporting documentation that will be requested by border officials for products imported to Mexico. There is not a similar requirement for domestically manufactured products. As a result, manufacturers will likely need to obtain a conformance assessment opinion from the Mexican government before products can be imported into Mexico.

At the time of publication, the draft regulation was anticipated to be published in early 2022.

EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, Green New Deal

In October 2020, the European Commission (EU) published a policy document, “Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability Towards a Toxic-Free Environment,” to update the EU’s chemicals management requirements and to advance toward the goal of zero pollution articulated in the European Green Deal.

The commission recommends significant changes to the EU Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) and Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulations as the foundation for policy changes, generally advancing the commission’s goal of zero environmental chemical pollution.

As a result, companies placing products on the EU market will see significant changes in how those products are evaluated for safety with increased restrictions to market access. Companies may be required to update labels based on new hazard classes.

Certain hazard classes may trigger bans of consumer products and increased worker protections for industrial use, as EU regulators specify general risk mitigation measures by hazard class under the new strategy. The strategy may expand the scope of products subject to restriction for containing substances of very high concern. Products with endocrine disruptors or per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) chemicals may also be subject to restrictions. Coatings manufacturers may be required to submit information about polymers in products.

Note that there is an emphasis on responding to an identified hazard, rather than the risk of exposure. These policy changes clearly embrace the precautionary principle. The commission also plans to implement a hazard-based approach on a global scale by introducing new hazard classes into the Global Harmonized System (GHS) and seeking to phase out chemical groups and hazard classes through international conventions and agreements.

Biocides Under Scrutiny by Regulators

As regulators express increased concerns about the safety of biocides in products, several biocides are being restricted in ways that limit paint and coatings formulators with options for reformulation and/or limit the types of claims that can be made on a product label. Canada and the EU have been fairly active in addressing biocides.

New PFAS Regulations in the EU

The European Union has adopted several regulations that restrict the use of perfluorooctanic acid (PFOA) and PFAS. In 2021, five nations announced their intention to restrict PFAS substances. In addition, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has circulated a draft report entitled, “Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Alternatives in Coatings, Paints and Varnishes (CPVs), Report on the Commercial Availability and Current Uses,” which will likely lead to additional scrutiny of the use of PFAS in coatings as well as available alternatives.

Microplastic: Canada, the European Union, Japan Resolution, and International Maritime Organization

There has been an increasing focus on microplastics, given possible effects on the marine and land environments.

The EU is introducing a proposal that will apply to intentionally added microplastics. The regulation would regulate “primary��microplastics,” which refer to��intentionally added materials��such as “micro-beads,” “microfibers,” and “secondary��microplastics,” which are the “polymeric fragments” released into the environment over time from plastic-containing products, largely through the degradation of larger materials (i.e., macroplastic).

These secondary microplastics include releases from synthetic fibers in clothing (primarily from the laundering process), weathering of macroplastic wastes, degradation of polymeric surfaces (such as paint) on exterior substrates, and wastewater streams that may receive discharges and/or releases of secondary microplastics from all sources. While the European regulation will likely not restrict coatings, the regulation will likely include labeling and reporting requirements.

In January 2020, the Canadian minister of environment and climate change published the “Draft Science Assessment of Plastic Pollution” and committed to ban harmful single-use plastics as soon as 2021. Further, in October 2020, the minister proposed an “order” designating “plastic products” as toxic on Schedule 1 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act.

At the International Maritime Organization fall 2021 meetings, a proposal entitled, “Microplastics from Antifouling Paints—An Overlooked Source of Marine Plastic Litter,” was submitted by several environmental non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The proposal asked the Marine Environment Protection Committee to note the impact of microplastics from paints and antifouling coatings on ships, urged it to prioritize the need for further investigation and noted the need to take action to reduce the inputs of microplastics from paints and antifouling coatings into the marine environment. Although this proposal was not adopted, the issue of microplastics in the ocean environment will continue to generate debate and discussion.

A draft resolution, proposed by Japan, was offered at the United Nations (UN) Environment Assembly in early December 2021, requesting the executive director of the UN Environment Programme to convene an intergovernmental negotiating committee with the mandate to prepare an international legally binding instrument to address marine plastic pollution. The resolution proposes that an intergovernmental negotiating committee develop an international legally binding instrument in 2022 based on a comprehensive approach to address marine plastic pollution covering the entire marine life cycle and promoting resource efficiency and a circular economy.

Forced Labor Restrictions on Raw Materials Sourced from China

In June 2021, the Biden administration announced actions in response to labor practices of companies operating in China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Most significantly, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a Withhold Release Order (WRO) on silica-based products manufactured by Xinjiang-based Hoshine Silicon Industry Co., Ltd. (Hoshine) and its subsidiaries. The WRO authorized CBP personnel at all U.S. ports of entry to immediately begin detaining shipments containing silica-based products made by Hoshine and its subsidiaries.

The scope of the WRO applies to finished goods such as photovoltaic cells, solar generators, solar panels, electronics, adhesives, and lubricants, and CBP has indicated that if silica is an insignificant or unessential additive to a product, it may be out of the scope of the order.

More recently, President Biden signed the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act into law in December 2021, which will go into effect on June 21, 2022. The act will create a rebuttable presumption that goods produced in whole or part in the Xinjiang region of China were produced with forced labor and thus banned from U.S. importation unless the importer can provide clear and convincing evidence that the goods were not produced with forced labor. Additional information on the scope of this law will be forthcoming and will surely have an impact on the supply of silica.

WCC Developing Sustainability Report

The WCC is currently developing a “Sustainability Report for the Global Coatings Industry.”��The framework of the report is consistent with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals most relevant to the coatings industry. It contains key sustainability performance indicators and sustainability case studies from the global industry. The report is anticipated to be final in mid-2022.

Establishing Lead Paint Legislation

The WCC is a��contributing member of the Lead Paint Alliance (LPA)—formerly the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Paint—an organization established under the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Health Organization.

The LPA has been working to engage national governments, industry, and non-governmental organizations in establishing restrictions on lead use in paints that pose public health and environmental risks, especially to children.

The current focus of the LPA is to assist in the expansion of the number of regions or countries in restricting lead use in paint by virtue of a universal, consistent model regulation. The WCC contributes to the LPA highlighting the widespread existing restrictions on lead use in paints, encouraging the adoption of similar restrictions by governments that currently have none, and providing industry expertise on technical issues raised by reformulation challenges. Recent legislative campaigns have been conducted in Benin, Ecuador, Peru, Columbia, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Congo-Brazzaville, Laos, Guyana, Malaysia, and Suriname.

Conclusion

For more than two decades, the WCC has worked to improve communication and coordinate policy on matters of international concern to the paint and coatings industry. As common issues facing the industry on a global level increase, the council will continue to provide a forum for exchange and cooperation on major issues and priorities, as well as serving as a global voice for the industry. For more information, visit www.worldcoatingscouncil.org.

As the American Coatings Association (ACA) works to advance the needs of the paint and coatings industry, it closely monitors the development of legislation and regulations that impact the coatings industry at federal, state, and local levels. ACA’s goal is to educate decision-makers and advocate for reasonable requirements.

Many states and local air districts have implemented increasingly more stringent volatile organic compound (VOC) regulations over the past few decades, and this trend will continue as states and districts attempt to comply with the national ozone standards. More states and local districts are also developing programs and regulations to encourage chemical substitution and phasing out raw materials used in coatings that are deemed hazardous.

Some of the regulations �鶹��Ƶis tracking are from the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), Washington Department of Ecology (DOE), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The following are overviews of the regulations and ACA’s efforts to advocate on behalf of the paint and coatings industry.

SCAQMD 2022 AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT PLAN

The South Coast Air Quality Management District is working on its 2022 Air Quality Management Plan that provides a blueprint for SCAQMD achieving air-quality standards. Of concern, SCAQMD included a proposed coatings-control measure that will impact the coatings industry: CTS-01 Further Emission Reduction from Coatings, Adhesives, and Sealants. CTS-01 mentions removing the PCBTF VOC exemption and incentivizing the use of UV light, electron beam, and light-emitting diode technologies.

Elimination of PCBTF VOC Exemption

PCBTF is the most widely used solvent in the coatings and adhesives industry. It is used in field-applied architectural and industrial maintenance coatings; marine coatings; auto-refinish coatings; factory-applied metal, plastic, and wood coatings; and in adhesives and consumer products, including paint thinners.

In June 2018, the National Toxicology Program, or NTP, released its final carcinogen report on PCBTF—also known as Oxsol 100, Parachlorobenzotrifluoride, and p-Chloro-a,a,a-trifluorotoluene. The NTP report prompted SCAQMD to ask the state of California to review the health data related to PCBTF, and in June 2019, California added PCBTF to its listing of chemicals that require warning under Proposition 65. Proposition 65 requires businesses to provide warnings to Californians about significant exposures to chemicals that cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.

The extensive use of PCBTF in industry products is largely because EPA exempted PCBTF from its list of VOCs in 1994. In addition, PCBTF has more favorable characteristics than other exempt compounds. For example, it evaporates slower and has a higher flash point, which make it less flammable than other exempt VOCs, including acetone. However, California’s addition of PCBTF to the Proposition 65 chemical list jeopardizes the PCTF VOC exemption.

As part of its review of PCBTF containing products subject to varied district air regulations, SCAQMD will survey the industry to determine whether PCBTF alternative coatings exist in sufficient quantities. If alternatives exist, SCAQMD will remove the VOC exemption. However, if SCAQMD does not find PCBTF alternatives in sufficient quantities, SCAQMD could raise the VOC limits to accommodate the continued use of PCBTF or other solvents. SCAQMD would have to offset any VOC emissions via lower VOC limits for other coatings categories, resulting in possible significant VOC limit reductions in the various SCAQMD coatings rules.

A raw material supplier company would typically coordinate advocacy e—orts to maintain PCBTF’s exempt VOC status, including filing comments. Because there are no domestic manufacturers of PCBTF—all production occurs in China—�鶹��Ƶhas been leading industry advocacy efforts. �鶹��Ƶhas developed a PCBTF coalition consisting of industry associations and end-users, and it has held several PCBTF coalition meetings with SCAQMD. �鶹��Ƶwill continue to advocate on this issue.

Additional Developments at SCAQMD

In February 2022, SCAQMD began its review of Rule 1168 governing VOC emission limits for adhesive and sealants. This effort will likely be followed by a review of Rule 1151 (auto refinish), and Rule 1107 (metal parts). In total, SCAQMD will review 15 coatings rules. �鶹��Ƶrequested SCAQMD address one rule at a time, and it appears that SCAQMD is willing to do that.

In each of the various coatings rules, SCAQMD will also incentivize the use of low- or zero-VOC technologies, including requiring the use of UV light, electron beam, and light-emitting diode technologies. Although these technologies may work in certain applications, they may not be feasible on a wide scale or may have too many limitations or technical issues.

WASHINGTON STATE ‘SAFER PRODUCTS’ PROGRAM

The “Safer Products for Washington” program implements the Pollution Prevention for Healthy People and Puget Sound Act, signed into law in May 2019. The Safer Product program requires the Washington Department of Ecology to reduce the use of toxic chemicals in products by restricting or eliminating toxic chemicals when safer alternatives are available.

DOE must complete four phases:

• Phase 1 identifies key priority chemicals.
• Phase 2 designates “priority consumer products” containing these chemicals.
• Phase 3 identifies safer alternatives.
• Phase 4 restricts or prohibits chemicals in products as needed.

In January 2020, DOE released a list of priority chemicals that included PFAS, phthalates, flame retardants, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and phenolic compounds, including bisphenols. A few months later, in May 2020, DOE added paint and printing inks as priority consumer products, citing polychlorinated biphenyls. Several organic pigments used in the coatings industry (including azo oriange and reds, diarylide yellows, and phthalocyanine blues and greens) may have low concentrations of inadvertent PCBs, or iPCBs.

In November 2021, DOE released for public comment its proposed decision to restrict iPCBs in paints and inks. DOE has suggested a 10 ppb or 25 ppb PCB level for interior/exterior building paint, spray paint, road paint, and children’s paint. DOE says it will finalize the decision on June 1, 2022, and will complete any regulations for iPCBs in paint and ink by June 1, 2023.

�鶹��Ƶsubmitted comments to DOE on January 28, 2022. In its comments, �鶹��Ƶurged DOE to conduct further exposure-based assessment to identify significant sources of PCB contamination, and in the interim asked that DOE take no further regulatory action due to a lack of information establishing paint as a significant source of PCB contamination.

In the alternative, if DOE must take additional action, �鶹��Ƶrecommended that DOE adopt a regulatory level of 5 parts per million (ppm) in pigments, adjusted for paints, in effect building on EPA’s risk-based evaluation of PCBs in products. Further background on this issue is in the article, “�鶹��ƵSubmits Comments to Washington DOE on Draft Report for Safer Products,” which appears in the �鶹��ƵIssues In-Depth section on page 32 of the March issue of CoatingsTech.

EPA PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE NATIONAL AEROSOL COATINGS RULE

Unlike consumer products and architectural coatings, the regulatory landscape for aerosol coatings has historically been simple as there are two primary regulating agencies that govern aerosol coatings: EPA and the California Air Resources Board (CARB).

CARB regulation for aerosol coatings was adopted in the late 1990s and has been amended several times. In early 2005, the �鶹��ƵConsumer Products Committee petitioned EPA to adopt a nationwide regulation for aerosol coatings based upon the California model. As a result, EPA finalized a national rule in 2008 that largely mirrored the California rule.

In 2013, amendments to CARB’s aerosol coatings regulation significantly changed this landscape, however. There were no longer consistent, uniform categories or standards for aerosol coatings throughout the country. The EPA standards were outdated and no longer aligned with the CARB limits—creating a significant compliance challenge for aerosol coatings manufacturers.

One of the major issues is that the two rules contained two different Maximum Incremental Reactivity (MIR) values for a single compound: one that needs to be employed for compliance calculations in California and a different one that applied to comply with the EPA national rule. Consequently, classification of aerosol coatings products and the required labeling was impossible to determine for a national market.

�鶹��Ƶpressed EPA to address these compliance issues. In 2017, �鶹��Ƶdeveloped and submitted two petitions for rulemaking regarding EPA’s aerosol coatings rule. The first petition requested that EPA update its table of MIR values, adjust the default value, modify the regulatory language to allow for changing the value of existing compounds, and add several aerosol coatings compounds to EPA’s tables.

Since 2017, �鶹��Ƶhas worked diligently to persuade EPA to focus on these petitions and provide some response regarding the process moving forward. Multiple meetings were conducted with senior officials at EPA in the Office of Policy, Office of Small Business Ombudsman, and the Office of Air and Radiation. On September 17, 2021, EPA formally issued proposed amendments to the national aerosol coatings rule, including the following changes:

• Update the product-weighted reactivity limits by coatings category
• Update the MIR values for several aerosol coatings compounds
• Add new compounds and reactivity factors
• Revise the default reactivity value (18.50)
• Amend the thresholds for compounds regulated by the rule
• Add electronic reporting provisions

The proposed amendments are largely consistent with CARB’s Aerosol Coatings Rule and Table of MIR Values. The agency proposed the amendments, in part, to promote consistency and uniformity between the California aerosol coatings rule and the national aerosol coatings regulation.

�鶹��Ƶcontinues to work with the EPA to finalize this rule. In comments submitted in November 2021, �鶹��Ƶsupported many of the proposed changes to the aerosol coatings regulation, including updated product-weighted reactivity limits by coatings category, updated reactivity values in Tables 2A, 2B, and 2C as well as the addition of several new compounds. �鶹��Ƶalso argues for a reasonable compliance date and the ability to use the new and updated MIR values immediately upon publication in the��Federal Register��to assist with compliance.

Remaining issues include the default reactivity value. �鶹��Ƶhad requested that this default value be aligned with the default value employed by the CARB regulation. The EPA proposal, however, establishes a default value of 18.50 g O₃/g VOC. The default value in the CARB regulation is 11.97 g O₃/g VOC. A high default value operates as a barrier to innovation as the development of new and environmentally friendly compounds are assigned this artificially high reactivity value—resulting in better, safer, and environmentally friendly formulas that may still not meet regulatory requirements.

�鶹��Ƶcontinues to press the case that this default value is too high. In addition, �鶹��Ƶhas requested that several definitions be modified and that several new terms be defined to align with the California rule and thereby enhance compliance by the industry.

The comment deadline on the proposed rule was in November 2021; �鶹��Ƶanticipates that a final rule will be issued in 2022.

CONCLUSION

As the paint and coatings industry faces the challenges wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic, �鶹��Ƶwill remain a consistent voice of the industry, serving as an effective advocate and keeping its members apprised on legislative, regulatory, and judicial issues at the federal state and local levels. Visit��paint.org��for regular updates on ongoing �鶹��Ƶadvocacy efforts.

Dan Gruber will lead the national platform as the managing director of the Azelis Americas CASE segment.��Tom Wells will become the general manager of the business, while Rocky Prior will lead the national salesforce.��All regional sales teams, supply chain, and customer service teams remain unchanged.

“This is a significant move to serve our principals and customers even better. It will streamline interactions while maximizing efficiencies,” stated Frank Bergonzi, CEO and president Azelis Americas. “Our goal is to continue to be the innovation leader in the CASE market segment. By consolidating the business under Azelis Americas CASE, we will provide a unified, go-to-market strategy and further strengthen our position in the CASE market,” he said.

“I’m very proud of the teams behind these breakthrough innovations, who continue to meet the ever-changing market needs,” said��A.N. Sreeram, senior vice president, Research and Development, and chief technology officer for Dow. “Our innovations will continue to position the new Dow to deliver more differentiated products and solutions for our customers, bring value to our shareholders, and address some of the world’s greatest challenges.”

The 2018 R&D 100 award-winning Dow technologies are:

• AQUACHILL™ Cool Coating is a ComfortScience-enabled, water-based phase change material coating for bedding materials and other cooling applications that maximizes initial and sustained cooling while providing breathability, optimal durability, best-in-class adhesion, and minimal odor.
• DOWSIL™ SE 9160 is a one-part silicone based adhesive with Hybrid curing (UV cure with secondary moisture cure), which provides water- and dust-proof reliability and process-ability for PCB system assemblies. It offers a controlled flow and reparability for optimized dispensing processes and allows consumer device manufactures to save cost.
• ECOFAST™ Pure Sustainable Textile Treatment is a breakthrough technology that enables unique, brighter colors on cotton while reducing water, energy, dye and chemical use in the dyeing process. This patented pretreatment helps to advance a more efficient and sustainable apparel industry��by meeting the ZDHC Roadmap to Zero Programme standards��and decreasing the need for chemicals by up to 90 percent and water by up to 50 percent. ECOFAST Pure is compatible with reactive, direct and acid dyes and can be applied to knit and woven fabric, denim and garments.
• As the global photovoltaic (PV) market continues to grow, material selection can be a critical component in the ongoing success of PV module manufacturers. ENGAGE™ PV Polyolefin Elastomers (POEs) help make the choice for PV encapsulant films easier with opportunities for exceptional long-term performance, reliability, and lower overall energy cost.
• Tenter Frame Biaxially Oriented Polyethylene (TF-BOPE) film is an innovative and revolutionary addition to the INNATE™ Precision Packaging Resin family. It provides higher mechanical properties and material rigidity, along with better optical and printing performance. Compared to traditional polyethylene (PE) products, TF-BOPE can achieve up to 80% less haze, twice the impact strength, twice the tensile modulus, three times the puncture resistance, and three times the tensile strength.

In addition,��won a special recognition award in the green technology category. Resin-coated sand using breakthrough VORARAD™ downhole radium sequestration technology improves the environmental and safety profile of hydraulic fracturing.

With six awards, Dow again won more than any other company. This year marks seven straight years of Dow products appearing on the��R&D 100��list.

Since 1963, the��R&D 100��Awards have identified revolutionary technologies newly introduced to the market. The��R&D 100��Awards identify and celebrate the top technology products and services of the year. Past winners have included sophisticated testing equipment, innovative new materials, chemistry breakthroughs, biomedical products, consumer items, and renewable energy.

For more information, see this year’s��

The program was distributed to approximately 3,700 sixth to ninth-grade science teachers in 1005 schools. The schools chosen were in targeted areas where the coatings industry has a presence, specifically areas near universities with coatings science programs. Overall student reach was approximately 211,000.

Recently, a survey* of those teachers was conducted to ascertain how the materials were received, and whether they were used in the classroom.

The most consistently used comments described the materials as “useful,” “informative,” and “relevant,” and 98% of the teachers who responded rated the program’s appeal to students as “Good” to “Excellent.” Ninety-nine percent of respondents rated the program’s educational effectiveness as “Good” to “Excellent.” Other notable results include:

• 85% Indicated that they have used or plan to use the educational program.
• 87% Indicated that they plan to share the program with other teachers or had already done so.
• 76% Indicated that they used additional resources offered on the Got You Covered website.

�鶹��Ƶmember companies and their employees are encouraged to utilize the Got You Covered materials for their own STEM Education efforts, either as a stand-alone program or by incorporating the materials into an existing STEM program.

All program materials, including experiments, the guide distributed to teachers, Presenter’s Guide, and Career Guide are available on ACA’s website at paint.org/got-you-covered/.

For more information on ACA’s STEM Education Initiative, or to find out more about presenting Got You Covered to a school in your area, contact ACA’s Xavier Ferrier, Environmental, Health & Safety specialist, at xferrier@paint.org.

*Approximately 250 surveys were distributed; 168 surveys were returned.

The solution adopted by the STEM Subcommit­tee of ACA’s Science and Technology Committee included enlisting the services of Young Minds Inspired (YMI), a consulting company specializing in educational outreach that has demonstrated success working for other trade associations for science-based indus­tries. YMI was hired to develop educational tools and disseminate them to middle school science teachers and their students, in close coordination with �鶹��Ƶstaff and mem­bers. ACA, in collabo­ration with YMI, has launched a campaign, “Coatings—They’ve Got You Covered,” which is being managed by Xavier Ferrier, an Environmental, Health and Safety specialist with �鶹��Ƶ As part of the program, materials along with supporting documentation have been developed and distributed to a select set of teachers by YMI and a network of industry presenters developed by �鶹��Ƶ

The program has two components that address the respective needs of teachers and those industry experts who want to participate in STEM out­reach efforts—a Teacher’s Guide and a Presenter’s Guide. The Teacher’s Guide, designed in a poster format, includes reproducible panels that can be copied and distributed to students. These describe a variety of activities and experiments that students can perform under the supervision of their teachers. The guide provides information about coatings and the science behind them. It will be distributed to middle school teachers in targeted areas where �鶹��Ƶhas an established presence, such as in towns and cities near universities with leading polymer science and coatings programs, according to Sides.

The Presenter’s Guide is designed for individuals who have experience with coatings, such as indus­try professionals and people involved in local trade groups, but might not have knowledge or expertise in reaching out to schools or in teaching middle-school-aged children. It is, in part, intended to con­nect teachers with people that can provide advice or even help with in-school presentations. �鶹��Ƶalso anticipates that some volunteers will be proactive and pursue their own outreach efforts, so informa­tion is provided on how to reach out to schools. The material is designed to help people who have never participated in STEM outreach activities previously, as well as to complement and support ongoing STEM outreach programs across the industry, according to Ferrier. “Our goal was to provide companies with a baseline of information that they can expand on by incorporating their own experiences,” he says.

The Teacher’s Guide includes a Letter to the Educator containing information on how coatings improve and en­hance our world. It details the standards-based activities presented in the document, which are designed to inves­tigate a broad array of STEM-related coatings applica­tions. Three reproducible activity sheets discuss different types of coatings and their functions, color science, and the concepts behind cool coatings.

The Presenter’s Guide includes a Letter to the Pre­senter that discusses the need for STEM outreach in the coatings industry and the ways in which classroom visits can influence young and curious minds. This guide also includes information on how to reach out to schools, plan a visit, and organize a presentation. It offers important talking points that can be made—and even includes tips on talking to teens. Pointers for each of the three activities from the Teacher’s Guide are provided, along with two additional activities on (1) corrosion prevention and (2) polymer chemistry and crosslinking. Presenters also have access to a career guide with information on coatings and their role serv­ing different industries—from aerospace to cosmetics and video gaming to fashion. The Presenter’s Guide also includes suggestions on steps students can take to expand their knowledge of STEM subjects.

The activities and experiments in the guides are not new but have been modified to incorporate both the experiences of people who have performed them pre­viously and specific coatings chemistry elements. The terminology and science discussed in the guides was reviewed extensively during their development, first by a small focus review group with representatives from four �鶹��Ƶmember companies, then by the STEM Subcommittee, and finally by the Science and Technology Committee, which includes members of the editorial boards of the Journal of Coatings Technology & Research and CoatingsTech. “The challenge,” notes Ferrier, “was to create guides that put coatings science in terms that middle school students can understand.”

The work has only just begun, of course. “Now that the program is live with the guides distributed to teachers and our network of presenters, we will be further building the program with continued outreach,” Ferrier observes. �鶹��Ƶis receiving feedback from YMI about uptake of the Teacher’s Guide, information that will help shape the program going forward. Visibility of the program is also enhanced by a website—paint.org/got-you-covered—which includes additional information for teachers and presenters, as well as statistics for the program. In addition, �鶹��Ƶis actively promoting the “Coatings—They’ve Got You Covered” initiative through in-house communication activities. The association has also been discussing with other allied organizations, such as SSPC and CRGI, the potential for these groups to leverage the program and increase STEM presentations.

“Ultimately, the ACA-YMI partnership has yielded a fun, informative, and polished program, which has been extremely well-received at all levels of ACA’s science and technology function,” Ferrier says. �鶹��Ƶand its S&T com unity are eager for the ensuing outreach efforts.

WACKER Chemical Corporation, part of Wacker Chemie AG, has announced plans for a number of expansion projects in the Americas region. Intended to support regional growth and demand for silicones and HDK® pyrogenic silica, the triple digit million U.S. dollar expansion aligns with the company’s expansion strategy for Europe and Asia.

“WACKER’s expansion strategy is designed to support continued growth in demand for silicone products, further increase customer satisfaction, and accelerate product development,” said Dr. Ian Moore, Wacker Chemical Corporation vice president Silicones.

According to Moore, the growing demand for silicone has been seen across all market segments, with stronger growth coming from the automotive and transportation, health care, and personal care industries. In addition to capacity expansion, silicone elastomers, fluids, emulsions, and HDK pyrogenic silica demand necessitates that WACKER also employ significant resources to support its customers’ needs in growing their businesses.

“WACKER’s current investment strategy in infrastructure and capacity expansion in the Americas region will involve several coordinated projects,” Moore said. “Already looking at this past summer, we opened the Silicones R&D Center located in Ann Arbor, MI. Having this 10,000-square-foot research and development center situated in the Michigan Innovation Headquarters facility complements WACKER’s business model of being close to our customers and close to serving regional market trends.

“Currently under construction and scheduled to open in mid-2019 is our HDK plant in Charleston, TN. When open, the plant will provide our customers a regionally sourced supply of pyrogenic silica, having an annual capacity of some 13,000 metric tons. WACKER has earmarked some US$150 million for this investment.”

In addition, plans are underway to significantly expand production capacity at WACKER sites which manufacture silicone elastomers, fluids, and emulsions. This expansion will be accomplished through infrastructure development and investments in additional equipment.

The two-year campaign began in 2015 with a foundational gift of $100,000 from the Dunn-Edwards Corporation. A generous donation of $500,000 from the Stanley W. Ekstrom Foundation raised the campaign above its initial goal of $1 million. Established by the late Stanley Wayne Ekstrom, president of Cardinal Paint & Powder, the Stanley W. Ekstrom Foundation��promotes community efforts related to health, justice and education, with an emphasis on programs that support the development and care of children and young adults.

Combined contributions from the Los Angles, Golden Gate and Pacific Northwest coatings societies were crucial to the success of the campaign and totaled more than $200,000. Other key industry supporters include Kelly-Moore Paint and Horn Companies. Individual donations from industry professionals and Cal Poly alumni also played a significant role in exceeding the campaign goal.

“We are so grateful for the support of the Stanley W. Ekstrom Foundation and our industry partners. This additional space will allow us to increase our support of the coatings industry in many ways, including educating more Cal Poly graduates ready to make an impact on day one,” said Ray Fernando, WCTC director.

The WCTC connects the university’s Polymers and Coatings Program to partners in industry. Through the center, Cal Poly offers intensive short courses, testing services, contract research and other collaborative opportunities to the paint and coatings industry.