The Volatile Organic Compounds in Paints, Varnishes and Vehicle Refinishing Products Regulations 2012

2.—(1) For the purposes of these Regulations, “vehicle refinishing products” means products listed in the sub-categories below which are used for the coating of road vehicles as defined in Directive 2007/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for the approval of motor vehicles and their trailers and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles(1), or part of them, where such coating is carried out as part of vehicle repair, conservation or decoration other than in manufacturing installations.

(2) The sub-categories referred to in sub-paragraph (1) are—

(a) “preparatory and cleaning” means products designed to remove old coatings and rust, either mechanically or chemically, or to provide a key for new coatings:

(i) preparatory products include gunwash (a product designed for cleaning spray-guns and other equipment), paint strippers, degreasers (including anti-static types for plastic) and silicone removers;

(ii) “precleaner” means a cleaning product designed for the removal of surface contamination during preparation for and prior to the application of coating materials;

(b) “bodyfiller/stopper” means heavy-bodied compounds designed to be applied to fill deep surface imperfections prior to the application of the surfacer/filler;

(c) “primer” means any coating that is designed for application to bare metal or existing finishes to provide corrosion protection prior to application of a primer surfacer:

(i) “surfacer/filler” means a coating designed for application immediately prior to the application of topcoat for the purpose of corrosion resistance, to ensure adhesion of the topcoat, and to promote the formation of a uniform surface finish by filling in minor surface imperfections;

(ii) “general metal primer” means a coating designed for application as primers, such as adhesion promoters, sealers, surfacers, undercoats, plastic primers, wet-on-wet, non-sand fillers and spray fillers;

(iii) “wash primer” means coatings containing at least 0.5 % by weight of phosphoric acid designed to be applied directly to bare metal surfaces to provide corrosion resistance and adhesion; coatings used as weldable primers; and mordant solutions for galvanised and zinc surfaces;

(d) “topcoat” means any pigmented coating that is designed to be applied either as a single-layer or as a multiple-layer base to provide gloss and durability. It includes all products involved such as base coatings and clear coatings:

(i) “base coatings” means pigmented coatings designed to provide colour and any desired optical effects, but not the gloss or surface resistance of the coating system;

(ii) “clear coating” means a transparent coating designed to provide the final gloss and resistance properties of the coating system;

(e) “special finishes” means coatings designed for application as topcoats requiring special properties, such as metallic or pearl effect, in a single layer, high-performance solid-colour and clear coats, (e.g. anti-scratch and fluorinated clear- coat), reflective base coat, texture finishes (e.g. hammer), anti-slip, under-body sealers, anti-chip coatings, interior finishes; and aerosols.

(1)

OJ No L 263, 9.10.2007, p 1 as last amended by Commission Regulation 678/2011 (EU) (OJ No L185, 15.7.2011, p 30).