San Diego Safer Alternatives to Copper Antifouling Paints Project

The Unified Port of San Diego is currently undertaking the largest independent copper-free antifouling paint study to date in an effort to identify viable alternatives to copper-based antifouling paints.  This study is collaboration between the Port Authority, the nonprofit Institute for Research and Technical Assistance (IRTA), boatyards and boaters in the Shelter Island Yacht Basin.

Twenty-two paint companies submitted two hundred test panels for Phase I evaluation.  Out of all the formulas submitted, only nineteen formulas passed the Phase I trials. ePaint Company is proud to announce that all ePaint coatings entered in the study were among the top nineteen performers in the panel evaluation.  These top performers have been selected to move forward into Phase II of the study where the qualifying coatings will be tested on boat hulls.  Of the nineteen coatings that passed Phase I, five are ePaint products.

According to ePaint Senior Staff Scientist Mike Goodwin, “this is exciting news but we expected our coatings would perform well all along.  ePaint was the first company to receive EPA registration for a tin and copper-free antifouling paint back in the mid 90’s.  ePaint decided from the beginning that removing toxic heavy metals from bottom paints was the responsible thing to do.  ePaint has been perfecting its patented photo-active technology for almost twenty years and the competition is just getting started.  ePaint’s mission statement is about creating greener coating technologies that will change the entire paint industry; judging from the number of companies that are currently copying our products, it looks like we have succeeded.  ePaint scientists have been hard at work creating even more advanced and exciting technologies that promise to again revolutionize the bottom paint industry with greener, more effective, and lower cost antifouling solutions.”

ePaint copper-free products are compatible over aluminum, fiberglass, wood, and steel hulls, and control hard fouling such as barnacles, as well as algae and slime.  Boats coated with ePaint copper-free bottom coatings can be hauled and re-launched without affecting the coatings antifouling properties.

San Diego Safer Alternatives to Copper Antifouling Paints Project