Ecofriendly paints contents

Titanium dioxide (TiO2), also known as titania, titanic anhydride, titanium white, Pigment White
6, CI 77891, and E171 has usurped the former, traditional white pigments of lithopone, white
leads, zinc oxide, and zinc sulfide to become the most common white pigment used across all
industries, including paint. This is due to TiO2 being relatively cheap to produce.

There are two main issues with TiO2; its cost, and its carbon footprint. In 2000, TiO2 cost
approximately $US2.20 kg-1 [41] and in 2012 the cost exceeded US$3.75 kg-1 [42]. This is an
increase in cost of 70% over 12 years. This trend in rising cost is likely to continue, due to the
limited global resources of rutile and anatase, and because of the way TiO2 is processed.
Moreover, these resources and processes are liable to come under pressure for environmental
reasons. As a result, more cost effective and sustainable alternatives are required.

 Alternatives

1. Zinc oxide - ZnO has been widely used in a number of applications, including; brass
production [45], medicinal uses, rubber production, and as a white pigment. With regards
to its use as a white pigment, ZnO has a refractive index of roughly 2.0, which is lower
than TiO2, and why it has been largely usurped by TiO2 as the most commonly used
white pigment in paints. ZnO is still used for certain applications however, most notably
as an antifouling agent in maritime applications.
2. Calcium carbonate - CaCO3, in the form of calcite, is the most commonly used mineral filler in
paints due to its low cost, abundance and relatively high refractive index of 1.601-1.677 [56].
Although the scattering efficiency of CaCO3 is not as high as TiO2, it can be improved by
creating ground CaCO3 (GCC). GCC is produced by grinding CaCO3 into a fine powder;
however the process of comminution will produce a polydispersed product, which would then
have to be screened if a specific size range was required. Even though GCC gives a higher
opacity than raw CaCO3, it comes at the cost of grinding and milling, which is a very inefficient
process that requires huge amounts of energy, especially to reach finer particle sizes. Therefore,
although grinding improves the opacity of raw CaCO3,
3. Clay minerals - Clay minerals are widely used as cheap extenders, and TiO2 substitutes
due to their relative abundance, low cost and reasonable opacifying properties. This is
due to their often platy structure, which can form many air voids in a formulation that is
above the CPVC, however they will often give a rough surface and be prone to flaking,
which limits their uses.
4. Cenospheres - Cenospheres are naturally occurring hollow spheres that are filled with air
or other gasses. One source is from fly ash; a by-product from coal burning electricity
generating power stations. Fly ash cenospheres come in a variety of sizes but generally
have a diameter between 20-200 µm and a wall thickness of 2-10 µm. Due to the hollow
 nature of cenospheres, they can be easily extracted from the bulk of fly ash by a sink/float
process and a specific size range can easily be separated by screening. The hollow nature
of the cenospheres also means that they have a low density, and as a result, if cenospheres
could be incorporated into a paint formulation, then the net weight of the paint would be
reduced, resulting in cheaper transportation, and a more sustainable product.

Market analysis of eco-friendly paints

Estimated at USD 90 million, eco-friendly paints have been one of the fastest growing sub-
segment of the Indian paint and coating industry. Pandemic has increased the popularity and
usage of these products. Nearly all the major producers have offered eco-friendly products
during the last few years in order to cater to the rapidly growing demand in this sub-segment.

India’s largest paint producer Asian Paints started offering eco-friendly paints around the mid of
the last decade. The company’s ‘Nilaya Naturals’ is one of the most popular offering in this
segment. The paint’s mindful manufacturing and packaging practices further ensure that its
impact on the planet is as positive as possible. The colourant as well as base paint both have low
VOC levels. Additionally, because it doesn’t release environmentally hazardous emissions, it’s
practically odour-free during application. The paint is mould and bacteria-resistant, and does not
release any volatile organic compounds into the indoor atmosphere.

Asian Paints claims that, “Nilaya Naturals comes in over 300 shades, each colour is velvety with
subtle hints of richness. With a rich symphony of tones that brim with character, each shade is
very much like those found amongst nature.

French company Maestria Paints is one of leading suppliers of eco-friendly paint & coating
products in India. “The Indian paint and coating market has immense potential which is likely to
see a turnover from USD 8 billion per annum to USD 12 billion during the coming years.
Moreover, while the global compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is just around 5.4%, India's
CAGR is 12.3%. The per capita consumption of paint in India is very low at 3.6 kgs compared to
global per capita consumption of 15 kgs. Hence, there is evidently an immense scope and
potential to grow much faster," says Pandu Ranga Vajramsetty, executive director, More
Maestria Paints India Pvt. Ltd.

Smaller companies are coming with innovative solutions to cater to the ever increasing demand
of natural and eco-friendly paints. Recently, one of the companies introduced paint produced
from cow dung. Manufactured by Kamdhenu Natural Paints, Prakritik Paint offers eco-friendly
paint & coating products under the brand name Khadi India.
Chandan Jat, the company’s spokesperson, told Coatings World, “Conventional paints are often
made with harmful chemicals and VOCs, which can pollute the air and have negative health
effects. Khadi Prakritik Paint, on the other hand, is free from these toxins, making it a much
healthier choice for your home. In addition, Khadi Prakritik Paint is biodegradable and
sustainable, which means it is better for the environment. Khadi Prakritik Paint is a type of
natural paint that is made from a variety of natural ingredients, including cow dung, lime, sand,
and natural pigments. These ingredients are mixed together and then applied to walls or other
surfaces.”

Chandan further says, “One of the unique ingredients in Khadi Prakritik Paint is cow dung. Cow
dung has been used for centuries as a natural building material and has a number of beneficial
properties. It is a natural antibiotic and antifungal agent, which makes it ideal for use in paints.
Cow dung also helps to regulate humidity and temperature, making it a comfortable and healthy
choice for indoor use.

A couple of years back, Japanese paint major Nippon Paint launched Wellness and Hygiene
range of wall paints. The range consists of Nippon Paint KIDZ, Nippon Paint Odourless Aircare,
Nippon Paint Satin Glo+ and Nippon Paint Satin Glo Prime. These paints contribute to the safety
and well-being of the entire family, but these are extra beneficial in safeguarding children against
bacteria, fungi, harmful chemicals, and impure air.

According to a statement from Nippon Paint India’s communication team, “Indoor air pollution
caused by wall paints can cause big health problems among children, older adults, and people
with chronic illnesses. Using healthy wall paints at home is not the first thing that comes to mind
when we talk about wellness measures for the family but countless researches have shown the
harmful effects of properties like formaldehyde, VOC (volatile organic compounds) and lead,
which can be present in ordinary paint.

Hence, it is important to use paints which are eco-friendly since they have low VOC content.
Nippon Paint Wellness and Hygiene products have numerous properties which are backed by
Advanced Japanese technology, making it the perfect choice for health and wellness needs.
Vinay Gupta, a distributor of paint and coating products in Mangol Puri market in New Delhi
told CW during a field visit, “A number of end users specifically demand eco-friendly products.
With the increasing pollution levels in the country, demand of these products is expected to grow
briskly in the coming years. Demand of these products is mostly coming from metro cities.
However, with the growing health awareness and increasing disposable incomes, the demand
from tier-II and III cities and villages is expected to form a substantial chunk of the total demand
by the end of the current decade.