Paint protects bridges, ships, road markings, buildings and machinery—but some of that coating can eventually be released into the environment. Releases can occur during application, weathering, abrasion, maintenance, removal and the end-of-life handling of painted materials.
Why infrastructure depends on paint
Protective coatings help prevent corrosion, extend the service life of structures and provide safety functions such as visibility and road marking. The issue is not that paint has no value. It is that many modern coatings use synthetic polymer binders, and paint material can be lost at several stages of its life cycle.
The European Commission reports that paints are, on average, 37% plastic-polymer-based and identifies paint as a significant source of microplastic releases.
How does paint become an environmental release?
Different painted assets create different release pathways:
- Weathering and wear: sunlight, temperature, moisture and physical contact gradually degrade coatings.
- Road-marking abrasion: vehicle traffic and maintenance wear down markings applied to road surfaces.
- Marine coatings: ships and other painted marine structures can release coating material through use, maintenance and removal.
- Surface preparation: sanding, scraping and blasting can generate paint particles when old coatings are removed.
- Application and cleanup: overspray, spills, unused paint and contaminated tool-washing water require controlled handling.
- End of life: demolition, dismantling and disposal can release material from painted products and structures.
What does the research estimate?
The 2022 EA – Environmental Action report Plastic Paints the Environment modelled global paint-related plastic leakage using 2019 as its baseline. It estimated total leakage at 5.2–9.8 million tonnes per year, with a central estimate of 7.4 million tonnes. Within the model, around 1.9 million tonnes per year were estimated to enter oceans and waterways.
The report described paint as potentially the largest source of microplastic leakage into oceans and waterways. This is a modelled estimate from that assessment, not a direct measurement of all global releases.
A 2023 European Commission impact assessment estimated annual EU releases from paints at 231,000–863,000 tonnes for 2019, while also highlighting uncertainty and data gaps. For the full evidence and its limitations, read Paint and Ocean Microplastics: What the Evidence Shows.
How can paint-related releases be reduced?
The appropriate controls depend on the coating, asset and work process. Professional maintenance planning may include containment, dust extraction, collection systems, correct surface-preparation methods, spill prevention and compliant waste handling. Workers should follow the coating manufacturer’s instructions, safety data sheets, site procedures and applicable environmental and waste rules.
Industrial coating removal and marine or infrastructure maintenance can involve hazards and regulatory requirements well beyond ordinary brush cleaning. Lavabrush is not presented as a solution for those wider industrial release pathways.
Where does professional brush cleaning fit?
Brush cleaning is one smaller, specific part of paint handling. Brushes used with water-based paint can transfer paint residue into wash water when cleaned under an open tap.
Lavabrush is a professional paint brush cleaner designed for this particular step. It keeps brush-washing water contained in the unit instead of sending it directly down an open drain.
In Lavabrush comparative testing, one 1.5-litre fill cleans 7–15 brushes, with each brush taking around 30 seconds. Compared with a running-tap method using 15–30 litres per brush, this represents up to 99% less water under the tested comparison. Results can vary with brush size, paint load, tap flow and cleaning technique.
This is a specific contribution to water use and wash-water control. It is not a claim that Lavabrush prevents every form of paint-related microplastic release.
From protective coating to controlled maintenance
Paint will continue to play an essential role in protecting infrastructure. Better outcomes depend on understanding where releases occur and selecting controls that match each process. For brush-cleaning guidance, see five practical steps for reducing paint wastewater, the Lavabrush operating instructions and the professional paint brush cleaning FAQ.
Sources and further reading
- EA – Environmental Action: Plastic Paints the Environment (2022)
- European Commission impact assessment on unintentional microplastic releases (2023)
- Lavabrush water-use, capacity and cleaning-time figures are supported by Lavabrush controlled performance testing.