Coppercoat Antifoul
Global environmental regulations are tightening. The emphasis on eliminating VOCs and significantly reducing biocide leach rates and end-of-life pollution makes the future for traditional anti-fouls look bleak indeed. Such inevitable, long overdue changes leave Coppercoat as the most viable, low leach rate, efficacious and environmentally responsible bio-active anti-foul available.
Over the next few years we shall see yet further tightening of the environmental legislation pertaining to anti-fouls, leading to the withdrawal of even more (and quite possibly all) of the traditional style paints currently available. But with Coppercoat already being water-based, low-leaching and with no end of life concerns, those requiring an efficacious anti-fouling in both the commercial and leisure sectors can remain confident of the continued availability of a legally compliant and environmentally responsible solution.
For more information on environmental awareness and the future of antifoul, read the full report here.
Immersion Emission Admission
The Largest single uncontrollable emission made by a vessel over its working life is what is discharged into the environment by its antifoul and it happens 24/7!
All other damaging emissions are largely controllable. Fuelling, if carried out with care, should result in minimal loss/environmental damage. The subsequent use of that fuel will have a negative environmental impact, but this can be mitigated through engine and exhaust management, proper engine maintenance and responsible engine use.
Traditional solvent based antifoul on the other hand makes uncontrollable discharges of aggressive solvents into the atmosphere when it is applied and equally leaches significant amounts of solvents, biocides, binders and pigments into the aquatic environment 24 hours a day, for every day the vessel is in the water.
The average 40 ft motor boat will use 12.5 litres of antifoul while a 110 ft superyacht might use 80 litres or more. With each litre of traditional antifoul containing between 30 and 45 % solvent the 40 ft motor boat will discharge approximately 5 litres of solvent into the environment every season while the 110 ft superyacht will discharge a staggering 35 litres. Mega yachts 100m+ and giga yachts 150m+ will discharge over 300 litres and 500 litres respectively, of damaging solvents into the environment every time they are slipped.
However, this is not the end of the environmental damage caused by traditional antifoul. Superyachts are expensive to haul and are often scrubbed/cleaned in the water by divers, a practice copied from the Cruise industry. Cruise ships are now restricted to where they can scrub with the practice being illegal in inshore waters because of the significant paint discharge that occurs with in-water cleaning. Designed to be ablative, leaching, self-polishing and self-eroding at haul out/repaint time much of the previously applied antifoul coatings are intentionally removed by high pressure water jetting to provide the most stable base for the new application. This removal of “spent” antifoul creates toxic waste by way of solvents, biocides, binders, microplastics and pigments which are usually discharged directly into the harbour or marina.
With every haul out, several new layers of antifoul are applied on top of the old coatings. This inevitably leads to a rough, thick and crusty layer of antifoul building up over a short period of time. This rough coating surface and the fact that traditional antifouls absorb water caused increased drag, fuel consumption and emissions and can reduced hull speed by as much as 5%.
There is an alternative! This is not a soft ablative coating that is up to 45% solvent but a non -leaching rock-hard epoxy resin which is water based. A product with no pigment and only one naturally occurring biocide which is made from 100% recycled material. With one simple application lasting 10-20 years this Globally unique hard epoxy anti foul can provide a 4-5 % performance improvement over traditional antifoul because of its smooth non porous surface. Its multi season, hard epoxy nature means it won’t build up and flake off and it is simply over painted and not removed when its end of life is reached.
This revolutionary, evolutionary and unique product has been available for 30 years, this product is COPPERCOAT.
Coppercoat: the environmentally sensitive antifoul choice
While tightening regulations spell trouble for most antifoul paints, Coppercoat already exceeds current standards, and has done so for 30 years.
Visit a boatyard in March and you’ll be greeted by the sweet smell of solvents. Known as VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds), solvents are essential to the application and curing of most antifoul paints, many of which contain up to 45% VOCs.
These solvents pose a fundamental problem – they’re major contributors to climate change. In an attempt to keep the polar ice caps intact, regulations are moving towards stringent reduction of VOC content, to the point of complete elimination.
The atmosphere is not the only area at risk. Traditional antifouls work by releasing a toxic cocktail of biocides (antifouls active substances), designed to tackle the entire spectrum of slime, weed and shell fouling, which love to cling to hulls.
Again, regulators are moving in to limit the damage. Within Europe the choice of biocides available to manufacturers has been reduced to just 10, and the latest legislation may restrict each product to a single active from this list. The speed at which biocide is released – the leach rate – is also under scrutiny, looking likely to follow California and Sweden in limiting it to just 9 micrograms per square centimetre per day.
Coppercoat already meets all these regulations and has done so since its launch in 1991. With a single biocide (an exclusively sourced copper powder made in the UK from recycled copper wire), water-based epoxy and minimal leach rate per square centimetre per day of just 1.4 micrograms, Coppercoat is the logical, environmentally friendly and effective choice for antifouling.
Coppercoat’s low leach rate also contributes to its longevity; a single application of Coppercoat lasts up to 20 years. And when re-application is due, it is made directly to the old coating, thereby eliminating the ‘end-of-life’ contamination associated with scraping off old paint.
Coppercoat has always been a great choice for minimal maintenance coupled with effective protection. Now, it’s the environmentally responsible choice to protect our sailing environment.
Visit a boatyard in the Spring and you’ll be greeted by the unpleasant smell of solvents. Known as VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds), solvents are essential to the application and curing of traditional antifoul paints, many of which contain up to 45% VOCs.
These solvents pose a fundamental problem – they’re major contributors to climate change. Thankfully industry regulators have picked up on this and are moving towards stringent reduction of VOC content, and eventually their complete elimination.
The atmosphere is not the only area at risk. Traditional antifouls work by releasing a toxic blend of biocides (antifoul’ s active substances), designed to tackle the entire spectrum of slime, weed and shell fouling, which cling to hulls.
Again, regulators are moving in to limit the damage. Within Europe and the UK, the choice of active biocides available to manufacturers has been reduced from more than 50 to less than 15. Furthermore, the speed at which biocide is released – the leach rate – is under scrutiny, looking likely to follow California and Sweden in being limited to just 9 micrograms per square centimetre per day.
While these restrictions spell bad news for any antifouls, the good news for boat owners is that a proven and legally compliant solution already exists. Coppercoat already meets these regulations and has done so since its launch in 1991. Coppercoat combines a single biocide (an exclusively sourced copper powder made in the UK from recycled copper wire) with a modern water-based epoxy, so gives off no dangerous solvents or unpleasant smells. And with a minimal leach rate of just 1.4 micrograms per square centimetre per day, Coppercoat is the logical, effective and more environmentally aware choice for antifouling.
The low leach rate also contributes to its longevity, with a single application of Coppercoat typically remaining effective for at least 10 years. And when a re-application is eventually due, it is made directly to the old coating, thereby eliminating the ‘end-of-life’ contamination associated with scraping off old paint.
Coppercoat has always been a great choice for those looking to minimise the time and costs associated with anti-fouling. Now, it is increasingly understood to be the more environmentally responsible choice also.