Paints and Coatings

Connecticut Enacts Public Act 26-107 To Include Aerosol Paints In Paint Stewardship Program

Connecticut has enacted Public Act 26-107, expanding its paint stewardship law so that aerosol coating products are brought into the existing producer-funded program from October 2026, with an updated plan covering all paint products due by July 2028. This will require aerosol paint producers, distributors and retailers serving the Connecticut market to participate in the stewardship organisation, apply the recycling fee across all paint products, and prepare for enforcement of the updated program and associated oversight costs.

21 May 2026, 06:51cga.ct.govUnited States

Germany (BAuA) Assesses Substitutes for Oxime Uses in Paints, Varnishes and Sealants

Germany’s occupational safety institute has issued a detailed 2025 report evaluating alternatives to carcinogenic oxime antiskinning and curing agents in paints, varnishes and silicone sealants. While not legally binding, the findings show that oxime-free systems are technically feasible for most applications but involve performance trade-offs, signalling likely future regulatory pressure and helping manufacturers plan substitution and R&D priorities.

20 May 2026, 19:22baua.deGermany

Uganda Notifies WTO of Draft African Standards for Paints and Lip Cosmetics (G/TBT/N/UGA/2365–2371)

Uganda has notified seven draft African standards for paints and lip cosmetics to the WTO, opening a 60-day comment period to 12 July 2026 ahead of their adoption as national product standards. These proposals would tighten and harmonise performance and safety specifications for architectural paints and lip products in Uganda, so manufacturers and importers will need to review formulations, heavy metal limits, labelling and testing against the new drafts in preparation for future compliance.

20 May 2026, 17:48eping.wto.orgUganda

California CalRecycle Opens Public Comment Period on PaintCare 2025 Annual Report

CalRecycle has posted PaintCare’s 2025 annual report for California’s paint stewardship programme and opened a short public comment period running until 3 June 2026, ahead of a compliance finding due by 14 September 2026. Manufacturers and retailers participating in the programme should review the report, consider submitting comments, and anticipate any programme or fee adjustments that could follow CalRecycle’s compliance determination.

18 May 2026, 17:45content.govdelivery.comUnited States

Defra Issues UK REACH Review Authorisations for ADCR Consortium Chromate Primers

Defra has issued four UK REACH review‑report authorisation decisions for members of the ADCR Consortium, allowing continued use and formulation of chromate‑based wash, bonding and other protective primers, as well as primer formulation, for aerospace and defence applications in Great Britain. The decisions extend access to critical hexavalent chromium primer systems under UK REACH while tightening exposure‑control and monitoring obligations at GB sites and setting time‑limited review periods for future reassessment.

14 May 2026, 19:43gov.ukUnited Kingdom

China Issues Gold Industry Wastewater Standard YS/T 3050-2026 and Adds Related Transport Energy and Wastewater Standards

China has issued a new national gold industry standard (YS/T 3050-2026) on integrated recovery and recycling of gold-processing wastewater, alongside additional 2026 transport-sector standards on sewage reuse, anticorrosion coatings and energy-efficient power systems. These developments tighten expectations on wastewater treatment, corrosion protection and energy efficiency in mining and transport infrastructure, requiring operators to review projects and investments ahead of the November 2026 implementation date for the gold wastewater standard.

14 May 2026, 19:02hbba.sacinfo.org.cnChina

New Hampshire House Refers Paint Product Stewardship Bill HB 1198-FN to Interim Study

In February 2026, the New Hampshire House sent HB 1198-FN, a bill to create a manufacturer-funded paint product stewardship program for architectural and aerosol paints, to interim study instead of advancing it toward enactment. Paint manufacturers and retailers selling into New Hampshire should view this as a signal of ongoing extended producer responsibility expectations for leftover paint while noting that no binding obligations or implementation timelines exist unless and until the bill is revived and passed.

13 May 2026, 11:51gc.nh.govUnited States

Connecticut Legislature Passes SB 147 on EPR Study for Vapes and Aerosol Paint Stewardship

In May 2026, the Connecticut legislature passed SB 147, pending gubernatorial action, to require a feasibility study on extended producer responsibility for electronic nicotine delivery systems and vapor products and to expand the state paint stewardship program to cover aerosol coating products from October 2026. If signed, producers of aerosol paints and related products will need to join the state stewardship organisation and fund an EPR assessment, while a future EPR scheme for vapes remains possible depending on the study’s findings and subsequent legislation, signalling growing US state-level pressure on hard-to-manage product waste streams.

9 May 2026, 07:14cga.ct.govUnited States

Rhode Island Bill H8499 Would Repeal Unused Paint Management System

Rhode Island House Bill H8499, introduced in May 2026, would repeal the state's statutory system for the proper management of unused paint and has been held for further study in committee. If this repeal advances, companies placing paint products on the Rhode Island market and those managing related waste streams may need to reassess how unused paint is collected, financed, and disposed of as existing statutory arrangements fall away.

6 May 2026, 19:29legiscan.comUnited States

CalRecycle Reschedules Paint Stewardship Permanent Regulations Informal Workshop To 28 July 2026

CalRecycle has rescheduled its informal workshop on permanent regulations for California’s Paint Product Recovery Program to 28 July 2026, providing another opportunity to discuss draft rules that would extend the program to aerosol coating products, nonindustrial coatings, and coating-related products. This signals a key pre-formal step for paint and coatings producers and stewardship partners to influence the design, scope, and cost of forthcoming paint stewardship obligations under AB 1526 and SB 1143 before formal rulemaking begins.

3 May 2026, 09:10content.govdelivery.comUnited States

China Adopts GB 30981.2-2025 Limits Of Harmful Substances In Industrial Coatings

China has finalised national standard GB 30981.2-2025 on limits for harmful substances in industrial coatings, issued in May 2025 and coming into force in June 2026. This consolidates multiple existing coating-related standards and tightens VOC and hazardous constituent controls, so coating makers and downstream users must review formulations, labelling, and testing programmes before the 2026 implementation date.

30 Apr 2026, 06:47chinesestandard.netChina

Massachusetts Senate Engrosses S.3064 Resilience Bill With PFAS Cleanup and Plastics, Paint and Wipes Measures

In April 2026 the Massachusetts Senate engrossed S.3064, a nearly USD 4 billion environmental resilience bond bill that would fund substantial PFAS cleanup and water infrastructure projects while creating new statewide plastics, paint stewardship, and wipes labelling regimes. If enacted broadly as drafted, this package would channel large capital flows into PFAS remediation and safer alternatives and, from mid‑2027 onwards, impose significant new compliance obligations on retailers, hotels, paint producers, water and wastewater utilities, and municipalities, so affected sectors should begin scenario planning and tracking amendments closely.

30 Apr 2026, 06:17malegislature.govUnited States

ISO Publishes China-Led Pigment Oil Absorption Standard ISO 787-5:2026

ISO has published ISO 787-5:2026, a China-led global test standard updating the method for determining pigment and extender oil absorption, with SAMR highlighting its industrial impact in April 2026. The new method is expected to become the reference for quality control and specifications in pigment, coatings, and printing-ink supply chains, reducing inter-laboratory variation and waste but requiring labs and manufacturers to update test procedures and acceptance criteria.

28 Apr 2026, 19:47iso.orgGlobal

ECHA Assesses Regulatory Needs for Santicizer 278 (EC 701-008-3)

In March 2025 ECHA completed an assessment of regulatory needs for Santicizer 278 (EC 701-008-3) within a group of 2,2,4-trimethylpentanediol esters, flagging potential harmonised classification and future restriction under REACH and CLP. This non-binding screening signals that EU adhesives, coatings and related applications using this plasticiser may face tighter hazard classification and possible use restrictions, so companies should start reviewing data gaps, exposure controls and substitution options across affected portfolios.

28 Apr 2026, 18:21echa.europa.euEuropean Union

East African Community Proposes Draft Standard DEAS 1329:2026 for White Spirit

The East African Community has issued draft standard DEAS 1329:2026 on white spirit, setting harmonised composition limits, quality parameters, packaging, labelling and test methods for solvent used in paints, varnishes, resins and cleaning applications across Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, with comments due by 15 June 2026. Chemical suppliers and paint and coatings manufacturers targeting these markets should review whether current white spirit grades meet the proposed aromatic content, sulphur and flash-point requirements, and plan consultation feedback or product adjustments ahead of likely adoption.

22 Apr 2026, 19:51members.wto.orgBurundiKenyaRwandaTanzaniaUganda

Connecticut Senate Passes SB 147 Expanding Paint Stewardship to Aerosol Paints

In mid-April 2026 the Connecticut Senate passed SB 147, a bill that would expand the state’s paint stewardship extended producer responsibility program to cover aerosol coating products, with the measure now awaiting action in the House. If enacted, paint and aerosol coating producers, distributors, and retailers would need to participate in an updated stewardship plan, face expanded per-container EPR fees and a new oversight charge, and work toward a 2028 deadline for integrating aerosol paints into the approved program.

21 Apr 2026, 20:10cga.ct.govUnited States

Bangladesh Targets Lead in Paint Amid Widespread Non-Compliance With 90 ppm Limit

A 2026 industry article reports that nearly half of decorative paints sampled in Bangladesh still exceed the country’s 90 ppm lead limit, even as authorities, NGOs, and manufacturers form an executive committee and policy dialogue to design a national strategy on lead in paints. For coatings and consumer-goods companies, this is a clear precursor signal that Bangladesh is likely to extend and enforce lead controls from decorative into industrial applications, increasing scrutiny on lead pigments, dryers, and imported brands in the medium term.

21 Apr 2026, 13:33european-coatings.comBangladesh

China MIIT Consults on Amendment 1 to Safety Technical Specification for Construction Waterproof Coatings

China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology is consulting on Amendment Sheet No. 1 to the mandatory safety standard for construction waterproof coatings, with comments due by 1 June 2026 and implementation recommended from 1 January 2027. Coating and construction-material manufacturers should anticipate changes to burning-behaviour specimen preparation and fire-test methods, and plan for potential retesting, reclassification, and updated documentation for waterproofing products used in buildings.

19 Apr 2026, 15:16miit.gov.cnChina

Brazilian Consumer Protection Committee Approves Ban on Reuse of Residential Paint Containers

Brazil’s Chamber Consumer Protection Committee has approved a substitute to Bill PL 5124/2023 that would ban the reuse of residential paint containers nationwide, tighten labelling rules, and route used cans into accredited reverse logistics under Anvisa oversight. If enacted, paint manufacturers, importers, and retailers will need to redesign packaging, update labels, and ensure take‑back and disposal arrangements that comply with Brazil’s consumer protection and reverse‑logistics framework.

15 Apr 2026, 18:55camara.leg.brBrazil

EU Commission Updates EU Ecolabel User Manual For Decorative And Performance Coatings

In April 2026, the European Commission published a revised EU Ecolabel user manual (version 2.0) and updated application package for decorative and performance coatings and water‑based aerosol spray paints under Decision (EU) 2025/2607.[^1^](https://environment.ec.europa.eu/document/download/f2146e5d-3004-4be7-b328-743af962fe37_en?filename=ENV_PV_UserManual_V2.0final%20version%20clean_March%202026.pdf)[^2^](https://environment.ec.europa.eu/publications/eu-ecolabel-performance-coatings-and-related-products-user-manual_en#:~:text=Publication%20date,7%20April%202026) These materials clarify how to demonstrate compliance with new criteria on TiO₂ emissions, white‑pigment content, VOC content and emissions, and wide‑ranging hazardous‑substance restrictions, and will drive more structured data collection, supplier declarations and testing for coatings manufacturers seeking or maintaining the EU Ecolabel.[^1^](https://environment.ec.europa.eu/document/download/f2146e5d-3004-4be7-b328-743af962fe37_en?filename=ENV_PV_UserManual_V2.0final%20version%20clean_March%202026.pdf)[^3^](https://environment.ec.europa.eu/document/download/43ecd017-9b79-499c-af2f-b10f29b00f61_en?filename=C4_Chemical_Supplier_declaration_vf2.0_March%202026.pdf)

10 Apr 2026, 16:49environment.ec.europa.euEuropean Union