In the field of environmental performance, the differences between water-based steel structure paint and solvent-based paint span multiple dimensions, including composition, emission characteristics, health impacts, safety risks, regulatory compliance, and long-term environmental benefits. Water-based steel structure paint uses water as its core dispersion medium, with over 80% of its composition being deionized water, and only a small amount of low-volatility co-solvents (such as ethanol and propylene glycol ether) added, reducing the use of organic solvents at the source. In contrast, solvent-based paints rely on petroleum-based organic solvents (such as xylene and acetone) as film-forming carriers. These solvents typically account for more than 50% of the paint, and most components are highly volatile. This difference in composition directly leads to a significant divergence in volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions: water-based steel structure paint generally has a VOC content below 80 g/L, with some high-end products achieving near-zero emissions; while solvent-based paint often has a VOC content exceeding 200 g/L, with some industrial-grade products even exceeding 500 g/L, far exceeding environmental standards.
This difference in VOC emissions further extends to the impact on air quality. Water-based steel structure paint releases VOCs primarily as water vapor during application and drying, containing only trace amounts of co-solvent volatiles, posing an extremely low risk of indoor and outdoor air pollution. Its low toxicity means that workers in the application environment do not require specialized protective equipment, and the probability of nearby residents being bothered by paint odors is significantly reduced. Solvent-based paints, on the other hand, release high concentrations of VOCs, producing a pungent odor during the application stage. Components such as benzene compounds and ketones can cause acute poisoning symptoms such as dizziness and nausea in workers, and long-term exposure may damage the hematopoietic and nervous systems. Furthermore, the volatiles from solvent-based paints are important precursors to photochemical smog and fine particulate matter (PM2.5), posing a potential threat to regional air quality and climate change.
From a safety risk perspective, water-based steel structure paint also offers significant environmental advantages. Its water-based system results in a significantly higher flash point than solvent-based paints, and some products, lacking flammable components, are even classified as non-hazardous, greatly reducing the risk of fire and explosion during transportation and storage. Solvent-based paints, due to their high content of flammable organic solvents, are classified as Class III hazardous chemicals. Their transportation requires specialized vehicles and strict safety regulations, and storage environments must be equipped with explosion-proof facilities and fire-fighting systems, resulting in higher management costs and safety risks.
Regarding regulatory compliance, water-based steel structure paint is more in line with global environmental policy trends. The EU REACH regulation imposes strict limits on components such as benzene and ethylene glycol ethers in solvent-based paints, and China's GB standard also clearly requires that the VOC content of indoor paints not exceed 80g/L (water-based) and 120g/L (solvent-based).
Water-based steel structure paint, with its low VOC characteristics, can easily meet various environmental certification requirements and has even become the preferred material for green buildings and key projects; solvent-based paints, due to the risk of exceeding standards, are strictly limited in their application in enclosed spaces (such as basements and ship cabins) or sensitive areas (such as children's rooms and hospitals).
In terms of long-term environmental benefits, the biodegradability of water-based steel structure paint is a significant advantage. The water and biodegradable co-solvents in its composition can decompose rapidly in the natural environment, posing an extremely low risk of soil and water pollution. Solvent-based paints, on the other hand, have an organic solvent degradation rate of less than 30%, and long-term residues may accumulate through the food chain, causing cumulative damage to ecosystems. With the advancement of the "dual-carbon" strategy, the low-carbon attributes (production energy consumption is more than 40% lower than solvent-based paints) and renewability (some co-solvents can be synthesized using bio-based methods) of water-based steel structure paint further highlight its environmental value, making it a core direction for the green transformation of the coatings industry.
