REINVENTED, REJUVENATED AND RELAUNCHED
PLASCON LOOKS TO AN ECO-CONSCIOUS, GREEN FUTURE
Plascon has remained South Africa’s preferred coatings manufacturer for over 130 years as a result of its ability to continuously reinvent itself. Furthering its commitment to eco-consciousness and environmental conservation has been a mandate for the brand, taking meaningful steps to reduce its impact on the environment with its leaps and bounds in green technology and eco-conscious paints.
APEO FREE – MORE ECO-CONSCIOUS FORMULATIONS
The first of these innovations is the introduction of APEO-free formulations. Plascon Easy Living Roof & Paving and Plascon TradePro Roof & More are Africa’s first roof paints to be entirely free of the harmful APEO chemicals. APEO compounds are bio-accumulative compounds which, when released into the environment, can be toxic to humans and wildlife, especially marine life. Conventional roof paints contain APEOs that, over time, leach into waterways through rain and drainage, and eventually contaminate the soil, water tables, rivers and ultimately, our oceans – definitely not eco-friendly!
According to Dr Kevin Winter from the University of Cape Town’s Future Water Organisation: “APEOs found in freshwater systems are toxic to aquatic organisms. In large doses, APEOs even have the potential to disrupt human hormonal systems. APEOs are discharged into freshwater systems from stormwater runoff and sewage works. They are found in a variety of products including paints, packaging and cleaning agents.”
By choosing to use Plascon’s more eco-friendly, APEO-free products, you are contributing to a safer, healthier and more eco-conscious and sustainable planet. Water, although a reusable resource, needs to be treated responsibly and conserved in order to avoid pollution and shortages. South Africa is amongst the most water-scarce countries in the world and one way to use water more responsibly – and save more money on your monthly municipal bill – is to harvest rainwater from roofs. Since Plascon Easy Living Roof & Paving and Plascon TradePro Roof & More are APEO-free they are safe for the harvesting of rainwater for non-potable use, making them more eco-conscious choices.
ECO-CONSCIOUS RESPONSIBLE PACKAGING
Another threat to environmental conservation is the plastic pandemic. Six decades ago, mass production of plastics began and has since produced 8.3 billion tons of plastic, of which an estimated 90% is not recycled, with approximately 8 million tons ending up in oceans annually.
Given the excessive life expectancy of plastic products, almost every piece of plastic created and sent to a landfill or dumped in the environment is still in existence. This puts an immense strain on the environment and its inhabitants, increasing the urgency to reduce plastic consumption and wastes, as well as to find sustainable ways to recycle existing plastic products. To honour this call, Plascon has introduced black buckets to its premium range, which are made of up to 70% upcycled material, making this a great eco-conscious innovation.
Upcycling is a means by which we can reduce the amount of solid waste entering landfills and polluting the environment. The materials of old paint buckets are harvested to produce new ones of equal quality with a lower manufacturing impact. Through this process, we can reduce carbon emissions by extending the shelf life of used materials thereby reducing the energy and natural resources needed for new materials to be created. By upcycling, not only do we stop more long-wearing pollutants from going to landfills but we can also reduce the environmental footprint having saved the cost of manufacturing, packaging and transporting new materials.
These upcycled buckets provide the same structural integrity with new distinction to the Plascon premium range, including Plascon Micatex, Double Velvet Pure, Cashmere, Velvaglo Water-Based, Nuroof Cool and Wall & All, bringing consumers the renowned and trusted quality of these brands with the peace of mind knowing they’re making the most responsible, eco-conscious choice for the environment.
Much of environmental conservation and ethical practice involves correcting ingrained perceptions and innovating so that the same quality can be provided while reducing environmental impact. It used to be that solvent-based paints were the preferred choice in coatings, favoured for their perceived durability, especially in enamel paints. But these solvents can be more demanding in terms of application, cleaning, disposal and, most importantly, harmful to the environment.
WATER-BASED – ECO-FRIENDLY, KINDER TO THE ENVIRONMENT
There has been a global shift toward water-based products which offer equal, if not better, quality with added benefits including faster drying times, lower associated costs and minimal impact to the environment and the health and well-being of consumers.
Plascon Velvaglo Water-Based Enamel is just one of the extensive water-based range of products offered by Plascon. Leading the field in water-based alternatives, Plascon Velvaglo is prized for its superior strength, satin finish and versatility. Formulated with a unique water-based acrylic hybrid called AquatoughTM, Plascon Velvaglo Water-Based offers all the toughness of a solvent-based enamel including UV, flaking and stain resistance, with non-drip properties while remaining environmentally friendly and non-toxic.
ZERO VOCS – INNOVATIVE ECO-CONSCIOUS PAINTS
Also of particular concern with solvent-based products is the associated risk of VOC emission which has become a major societal concern with VOC pollution on the rise. VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, are chemicals emitted from production processes and common household items. These chemicals accumulate in the air and can have short and long-term adverse health effects. Concentrations of many VOCs are consistently higher indoors (up to ten times higher) than outdoors. In an effort to combat this threat, Plascon has optimised the formulations of their premium brands which now all boast zero VOC recipes. This means that there are no VOC emissions when using these products thereby protecting the environment as well as your home and family.
ECO-CONSCIOUS SMART PAINT – AIR PURIFYING TECHNOLOGY
But Plascon didn’t stop there. Not only have they removed VOCs from their premium products, they’ve also further engineered them to remove VOCs from the air too.
A noteworthy VOC, known as formaldehyde, also presents a growing cause for concern. Emitted from common household items, such as upholstery, carpeting and household cleaning agents, formaldehyde has the potential to pollute the air and compromise our health.
In 2020, Plascon pioneered a first for the South African market; a paint with Air Purifying Technology. Plascon Double Velvet Pure has the ability to actively improve the quality of indoor air by removing Formaldehyde from the air that you breathe, making your home and workspace a safer environment for you, your co-workers and your family. A special compound in the formula removes and permanently transforms the formaldehyde in the air into undetectable, harmless water vapour which is safe for breathing.
The reengineered product retains all of its premium quality, strength and elegance as well as its existing leading technologies such as the Stain BarrierTM, to make cleaning away life’s messier moments a breeze, Silver ProtectTM to inhibit mould and bacterial growth and BreatheasyTM to minimise odour and ensure cleaner, breathable air.
Plascon continues to innovate, with a focus on developing pioneering eco-conscious paint products while being conscious of their environmental impact. These changes affirm Plascon’s re-orientation and refreshed commitment to focus on nature, people and purpose.
For more information visit https://plascon.com/
