Indonesian Paint Company, PT Mowilex Indonesia, Adopts VOC Labelling Standards Based on California Air Quality Rules
JAKARTA, Indonesia, Oct. 21, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- In order to make it easier for consumers to be more informed about their choices, PT Mowilex Indonesia (PT Mowilex) has published a guide on how its products are classified in terms of their Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) emissions. The company's guidelines indicate when the terms "Zero VOC", "Ultra Low VOC" and "Low VOC" will be used on the company's products.
Mowilex brand products were the first environmentally friendly water-based latex paints to be manufactured in Indonesia in 1970. The company continues to build on that legacy, with key products that carry "Green Label" certifications.
Novina Tjahjadi, the company's Director of Research and Development and Senior Scientist of PT Mowilex, said that "there are no national standards or requirements for VOC disclosures in Indonesia. In fact, VOC disclosures are different in every country, and sometimes even within a country, states and regions may have their own rules." VOCs affect air quality, and may or may not be toxic depending on the nature of the emissions.
PT Mowilex has based its guidelines using limits mandated by the U.S. State of California's SCAQMD (South Coast Air Quality Management District) in effect as of January 2019, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). California's strictest VOC limit for decorative and architectural coatings is 50 g/L (grams/liter) with many coatings and varnishes permitted to have VOCs as high as 275g/L. The U.S. EPA limits range from 250 to 800 g/L.
The company's limit for Zero VOC is at non-detect levels, generally accepted as 5g/L or less.
PT Mowilex's Ultra-Low VOC limit is set at 40 g/L maximum, or 20% better than the strictest limit set in California. The company's Low VOC coatings have maximum emission levels that are 70% better than the U.S. EPA's strictest limit.
Many of the company's paints and coatings carry a "Zero VOC" label.
There is a general lack of transparency on how manufacturers label VOC emissions for their products in Indonesia. "That is a problem for us,'' said Anna Wibowo, PT Mowilex's Chief Marketing Officer. "Our customers trust our brand, but the market is inconsistent in how it labels products. Consumers and architects are knowledgeable and concerned about the environmental impact of the products they use, and with ours, they will know what they will get.''
"It is not just about labeling," Tjahjadi added. "We strive to be an ethical, contemporary market leader. We felt VOC disclosures required a certain level of integrity without which the consumer would lose trust and manufacturer claims could become inflated".
"By basing our limits for VOC labeling on California's standards – which are among the strictest in the world – we wanted to bring a high degree of credibility and transparency to the process,'' said Ms. Wibowo. "When you buy our WP02 Waterproof product, for instance, you know it is Zero VOC".
For more information about Mowilex's VOC labeling please visit: www.mowilex.com/voc
About PT Mowilex Indonesia
Mowilex premium products were first introduced to Indonesia in 1970. PT Mowilex Indonesia has received numerous awards such as First Place Word of Mouth Marketing Award – Decorative Paint Category 2009, 2011 and 2013 as well as The First Champion Indonesia Original Brand 2014. In 2019 the company was awarded the Best Exterior Paint award by Business Digest's SWA Magazine. More information: http://www.mowilex.com
Press enquiries: [email protected]
SOURCE PT Mowilex Indonesia
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