# Paints and coatings: Regulation

How VOC and lead rules reshaped what is in paint

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/paints_coatings/regulation/

What this tab covers How it is regulated and what could disrupt supply: hazard classification, rules in the EU, US and India, anti-dumping duties and other trade measures, and supply-risk notes.

#### Hazards

| Classification | UN number | Key risks |
|---|---|---|
| solvent-borne: flammable liquid cat 2-3, STOT; water-borne: mostly not classified (indicative) | UN1263 (paint, flammable) | Solvent fires at plants and stores; VOC exposure for painters; lead and some biocides in older or informal products. |

#### Main rules

| Where | Rule | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| **EU** | Decopaint Directive 2004/42/EC VOC limits; REACH; Biocidal Products Regulation | drove the shift to water-borne decorative paint (indicative) |
| **US** | EPA AIM coatings VOC rule; California CARB/SCAQMD limits | lowest VOC limits worldwide in California (indicative) |
| **EU** | Ban on TiO2 as a food additive (2022) and earlier carcinogen labelling of TiO2 powder (annulled by EU court) | watched by paint makers (titanium_dioxide tile) |

#### India

| Rule | Effect |
|---|---|
| **Regulation on Lead Contents in Household and Decorative Paints Rules, 2016 (90 ppm limit)** | removed lead from organised decorative paint (indicative) |
| **DGTR anti-dumping duty on TiO2 from China (2025)** | raises a key input cost (titanium_dioxide tile) |
| **No binding national VOC limits for decorative paint (indicative)** | solvent-borne enamels remain common |

#### Trade measures

- India ADD on TiO2 from China
- US reciprocal tariffs affect pigment and resin flows

#### Supply risk

Low for paint itself; moderate for inputs. TiO2 supply is concentrated in China, and monomers and solvents depend on Gulf and East Asian crackers, so a Hormuz disruption (as in 2026) lifts costs quickly.

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/paints_coatings/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/paints_coatings/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/paints_coatings/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/paints_coatings/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/paints_coatings/production/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/paints_coatings/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/paints_coatings/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/paints_coatings/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/paints_coatings/movement/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/paints_coatings/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/paints_coatings/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/paints_coatings/links/index.md)