Lime-based paints: market review and regulatory assessment

Abstract In the late 1970's, society started to be aware of the health and environmental risks posed by synthetic paints. Those issues motivated a search for traditional "healthy" products that would leave a smaller environmental footprint (like mineral paints, such as lime-based paints). This study briefly describes the history of this material, and thereafter, it defines the difference between modern lime-based paints and traditional lime-based paints. Subsequently, a presents a review of the regulations is presented in order to find out which requirements this traditional product must meet in the present day. Finally, the study analyses technical data sheets of some brands of modern lime-based paints that are sold in Europe. In this analysis we noticed that very few paints are classified according to the EN 1062-1 (EUROPEAN…, 2004) standard for paints and varnishes and the 2004/422 Directive (DIARIO…, 2014).