Environmental product assessments no longer focus solely on the amount of a particular ingredient in the formulation inside the can. Raw material selection, emissions during application, coating service life, maintenance requirements and the management of leftover product after use are becoming parts of the same picture.

What does the 2026 update change?

The European Commission revised the EU Ecolabel criteria for paints and varnishes in February 2026. The updated framework introduces lower limits for volatile organic compounds (VOC) and semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOC), thresholds that account for long-term indoor exposure, and new restrictions on preservative ingredients.

The scope of the criteria is also expanding. Alongside decorative paints and varnishes, separate product categories are defined for performance coatings and water-based aerosol paints. Instead of assessing different applications against identical criteria, products are therefore expected to provide evidence relevant to their actual service conditions.

“

An environmentally sound paint system does more than deliver low emissions: it also reduces the need for premature refurbishment by providing the right performance on the intended surface.

VOC content alone is not enough

VOC content is an important indicator for understanding the emissions profile during application and drying. However, it does not explain a product's overall environmental impact on its own. A product with inadequate hiding power may require more coats; low mechanical resistance may lead to early maintenance; and poor surface preparation may prevent even the best formulation from achieving its expected service life.

A technical assessment must therefore consider volume solids, theoretical spreading rate, required dry film thickness, recoating intervals, application losses and maintenance intervals together. A more meaningful comparison becomes possible when paint consumption is analysed in terms of the area protected and years of service, rather than litres alone.

Indoor air quality and long-term exposure

For interior applications, users should consider not only the day of painting but also how the space will be used over the months and years ahead. Ventilation capacity, occupancy and surface area differ between schools, hospitals, offices, homes and production facilities. Emissions information must therefore be matched to the risk profile of the intended space.

Once the product has been selected, the application plan also becomes part of environmental performance. If substrate moisture, ambient temperature, relative humidity, air exchange rate and drying time are not controlled, both indoor air quality and film formation may suffer. Verifying the conditions specified in the technical data sheet against site records helps translate the designed performance into the applied coating.

Why are performance criteria also environmental criteria?

Under the new approach, performance factors such as washability, wet-scrub resistance, weather resistance and corrosion protection are inseparable from environmental claims. Extending a surface's service life can reduce the raw materials, packaging, logistics and labour required for repainting.

The highest performance class is not automatically the best choice for every project. A low-traffic interior and a production floor subject to heavy chemical exposure do not require the same system. Specifying unnecessarily high performance, or specifying inadequate performance and creating frequent maintenance cycles, can both reduce resource efficiency.

How should purchasing specifications be updated?

Corporate purchasing teams should define verifiable performance requirements instead of specifying only colour, price and pack size. The substrate type, exposure class, expected service life, maximum VOC content, total dry film thickness to be applied and acceptance tests should be clearly set out in the specification.

• Confirm the product's intended use and the substrate to which it will be applied.
• Check that VOC/SVOC, hazardous ingredient and emissions documentation is up to date.
• Verify hiding power, consumption and resistance data through standardised tests.
• Include surface preparation, application conditions and the maintenance plan in the system specification.
• Prepare site procedures for leftover paint, packaging and cleaning waste.

A new design agenda for manufacturers

For formulation teams, the objective is to improve environmental parameters without sacrificing film performance. The balance between binder, pigment, filler, additives and preservatives jointly determines storage stability, ease of application, colour reproducibility and final resistance. A change to one component may require the entire system to be revalidated.

The European Commission's updated criteria will remain valid until 31 December 2032. This period offers paint manufacturers and professional users an opportunity to move towards a more transparent product development culture that supports environmental claims with tangible test results.