New preservation option for coatings formulations

 
The decrease in preservative options represents a major challenge for coatings formulators. Moreover allowable preservative use levels are set so low that avoiding GHS related hazard phrases may require the use of several active agents, selected such that each active is present below its trigger threshold. While this approach avoids the negative consumer perception associated with hazard labels, there remains a further challenge for the formulator who wishes to achieve the positive perception associated with voluntary labels. The challenge is that many of the European voluntary label schemes now consider total preservative content. This paper describes a novel approach, leading to a more efficient preservative. With a lower total active agent level both label challenges are resolved, and additionally the protection system is more robust against future regulatory changes.