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TOPIC:THE USE OF WATERBORNE PAINTSWITH LARGE GLASS BEADS 

PURPOSEThe purpose of this technical direction is to:

• highlight the handling and performance advantages of waterborne roadmarking paints.

• note the application conditions necessary to achieve efficient application as well as theenhanced performance of the waterborne material.

THE ADVANTAGES OF WATERBORNE PAINTS

For many years pavement markings and lines have been applied using a fast-drying solventbornepaint, with drop-on glass spheres (beads). New resin technology has resulted in thedevelopment of waterborne paints which have a number of significant advantages over thesesolvent-borne paints.

1. Solvent-borne paints are highly flammable, requiring special operations procedures toavoid serious incidents. Waterborne paints are non-flammable, eliminating the danger offire and/or explosion.

2. Solvent-borne paints must be handled with great care by operators to avoid skin,respiratory, and toxicity problems. Waterborne paints have much lower toxicity andvolatile organic content, and hence present a much lower health risk to operators.

3. Because solvent-borne paints are highly flammable they must be transported in steeldrums, which cannot be re-used, and which are very difficult to dispose of responsibly.Waterborne paints can be transported in bulk containers, composed of a supported plasticmembrane, which can be dried and disposed of as small volume, solid waste.

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