They say necessity is the mother of invention, and when a problem arises, we innovate to solve it. This is why conventional automotive solvent paint and the problems that come with it are quickly becoming relics of the past. Thanks to industry innovations, safer, eco-friendly, and water-based automotive paint (also known as waterborne paint) is now available. We at Butler Collision Center are proud to use this waterborne paint for our automotive paint services.
Not only does using waterborne paints protect the environment—it also protects the service experts in our auto paint shop. Let’s look at the problem with conventional paints to see why:
· Conventional automotive paints contain a high amount (~85%) of solvents, known as volatile organic compounds, which evaporate in the air. These volatile organic compounds are known to cause chest pains, asthma attacks, organ damage, nausea, and a host of other short and long term issues when inhaled.
· The automotive industry releases more than 210,000 tons of these solvents into the atmosphere every year. This happens as conventional paint dries and can cause a saturation of ground-level ozone, leading to damaging effects not only for animals, but plants as well. The most visible example of this is urban smog.
· When not disposed of properly, solvents will absorb into the ground, contaminating groundwater. This is very dangerous because “groundwater supplies drinking water for 51% of the total U.S. population and 99% of the rural population” according to experts from the Groundwater Foundation.
Waterborne auto paint contains a much lower (10%) solvent count and is far more eco-friendly while also protecting the service experts who utilize it from potentially developing debilitating physical and cognitive issues. These new environmentally conscious paints also require fewer coats to finish the job thanks to a higher pigment content, so at the end of the day less materials are used in your car paint job.
Butler Collision Center pays close attention to the modern need for a safer environment. That’s why not only our car paint shop, but also our entire collision center is continually adapting as information becomes available and innovation offers solutions. Schedule an appointment or stop in today for all your automotive paint needs and know that our work is going to be first-rate and part of an initiative for a better, healthier planet.
