On 10 October, Sherwin-Williams, a global leader in paints and coatings, proudly celebrated the expansion of our plant in Tournus, France, dedicated to producing valPure® V70 – our next-generation, non-BPA epoxy can coating technology. This expansion was made possible through substantial support from local and national authorities, highlighting the crucial role of public backing in fostering innovation.
Drawing on this positive experience, we explore in this article how facilitating industry’s voluntary innovation—through investment, regular open communication, and supportive regulation—can be more effective than burdensome top-down regulatory mandates.
V70: Designed to be Safe and Sustainable
While many of the EU’s chemicals management initiatives aim to address substances already on the market, the European Commission’s upcoming Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) framework encourages integrating chemical safety and sustainability from the earliest stages of product development. We applaud this proactive approach, with the Commission acknowledging the need to support and incentivize industry’s sustainable design efforts.
At Sherwin-Williams, we’ve long recognized the importance of sustainable design. Our rigorous Safety by Design protocol was central to developing V70. Inspired by preclinical safety assessments in the pharmaceutical industry, this framework involves comprehensive evaluation of materials from the outset – a proactive approach that preceded the European Commission’s upcoming SSbD principles. In our protocol, hundreds of potential molecules are assessed, with only a select few advancing. Extensive testing ensures both performance and compliance with safety standards.
By exceeding international regulatory requirements, this protocol ensures that candidate materials are chosen with critical safety and sustainability considerations in mind. As a product of the Safety by Design process, V70 offers can manufacturers a trusted coating solution. It has undergone extensive testing and has been widely adopted, with over 250 billion cans coated since its launch. V70’s performance matches traditional epoxy coatings, ensuring brand protection and manufacturing efficiency.
In recognition of its sustainability attributes, V70 has received the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Material Health Certificate at the Platinum level—the highest attainable. This independent validation confirms that V70 meets stringent safety criteria for humans and the environment.
V70’s compliance with international standards is evident through approvals from regulatory bodies worldwide, including the U.S. FDA and the Dutch Warenwet approval. The French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) has published two opinions on TMBPF, with the latest opinion confirming there is no concern from an endocrine activity perspective.
The Power of Supportive Collaboration
Our development of V70 is a success story of positive institutional involvement, with French authorities supporting our efforts. The expansion of our Tournus facility was made possible with significant support from local and national authorities, including over €5 million in public funding. This collaboration exemplifies how public support can accelerate innovation through streamlining the overall process.
Our proactive approach illustrates the power of market incentives in driving the development of chemicals with sustainability attributes. Consumer demand for safer, more sustainable products creates a competitive advantage for companies with innovative product development strategies. By addressing these market needs, companies not only comply with regulations but often surpass them, setting new industry standards.
While regulations like REACH are essential for setting safety standards, relying exclusively on top-down mandates can be resource-intensive and challenging to enforce uniformly. In contrast, market-driven substitution leverages companies’ agility to innovate and respond swiftly to consumer demands and emerging science.
In his influential report on the future of EU competitiveness, Mario Draghi recognized these hurdles. He emphasizes the EU’s traditional strength in specialty chemicals but laments the sharp decline in the sector’s competitiveness, citing “red tape and an unlevel playing field for industry.”
The Way Forward: A Supportive Chemicals Industry Package
The story of V70 shows there is another way. Through supportive collaboration with public authorities, targeted investment, and open communication, we were able to develop and expand production of a next-generation chemical alternative.
By fostering an environment that rewards innovation, the EU can encourage more companies to pursue voluntary substitution. This approach can lead to safer products reaching the market faster, enhanced consumer trust, and a stronger position for EU industries globally.
The new European Commission’s focus on innovation, competitiveness, and simplification, notably with the appointment of a commissioner for simplification, is encouraging. We hope the EU will heed the Draghi report’s recommendations and, as in our successful expansion in France, leverage its ‘carrots’ rather than its ‘sticks’ to incentivize voluntary industry substitution.
The upcoming Chemicals Industry Package promised by Commission President von der Leyen, with the aim to ‘simplify REACH’, is an excellent starting point for such an endeavor. This is the right opportunity to reduce regulatory complexity and create an ecosystem of collaborative support for industry in finding safe and sustainable chemical solutions while revitalizing the competitiveness of EU’s specialty chemicals sector.
Collaboration Between Industry and Policymakers is Essential
Our journey with V70 underscores the impact that industry-led innovation can have when supported by collaborative efforts and investment from public authorities. Empowering companies through supportive policies, reduced red tape, and financial incentives can accelerate the development and adoption of sustainable solutions more effectively than burdensome regulatory mandates.
As we move forward, continued collaboration between industry and policymakers will be essential. Ultimately, by fostering innovation through collaboration, we can transform aspirations into achievements, building a legacy of sustainability that benefits industry, the environment, and society alike.
