Are Zirconia coatings safe for workers and the environment?

Zirconia's core inorganic coatings (CeramycGuard, PoreBlocker and ActiveCure) are water-borne, not solvent-borne, so they do not expose workers or the surrounding environment to toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs), Bisphenol A or isocyanates. VOC levels vary by product and are listed on each Technical Data Sheet.

Environmental

Zirconia's Environmental Impacts

Q: How does Zirconia reduce greenhouse gas emissions?

Zirconia's ceramic sealants dramatically extend the lifespan of concrete infrastructure, eliminating the need to demolish and rebuild assets. Because concrete and steel production accounts for roughly 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions, preserving existing assets avoids enormous volumes of carbon output.

Zirconia's first job is protecting concrete infrastructure, and that is also its biggest environmental win: every massive asset preserved avoids the enormous carbon of demolishing and rebuilding it. We pair that with removing toxic chemistry from job sites.

Green technology, multiple pathways

Zirconia reduces environmental harm in several distinct ways: by extending the life of concrete infrastructure, by replacing solvent-borne organic coatings with waterborne inorganic ones, and by removing toxic chemistry from job sites. The sections below explain each one.

Impact

Dramatically extending the life of old and new infrastructure

Zirconia's technologies create multiple paths to large-scale greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction. Sealing concrete with Zirconia's ceramic sealants extends its service life, which cuts emissions now and over decades. Our advanced ceramic technology can repair and restore existing infrastructure, and dramatically increase the lifespan of new builds.

Zirconia eliminates the "run-to-failure" construction model. Run-to-failure means letting infrastructure decay until it must be demolished and rebuilt from newly mined and processed raw material. Concrete and steel are two of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions globally, accounting for roughly 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Any infrastructure asset built with these materials is GHG-expensive. So saving those assets from decay, and removing the need to remake them, avoids enormous volumes of carbon emissions.

Reducing toxicity to the environment

We formulate our coatings to be less toxic while keeping the performance that matters.

Because CeramycGuard™ is inorganic, it can be carried in water instead of solvent, so application does not release toxic solvent vapor.

Impact

The power of substitution

We replace older toxic coating technologies with products that perform better and are far less harmful. We are also finding ways to make existing multi-layer coating systems, such as urethanes, less toxic and more durable, reducing their overall environmental footprint.

Reducing toxicity to workers

Organic coatings carry several types of toxicity. Some are held in solution by volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that evaporate as the coating cures. These VOCs can damage human organs and may be carcinogenic. Epoxies commonly use Bisphenol A, a hormone disruptor (endocrine disruptor) that can affect the development of children. Polyurethanes can sensitize the immune system, and repeated exposure can trigger anaphylactic shock, which can be fatal.

As an industrial society we need coatings to prevent decay and extend the lifespan of infrastructure, ships, and vehicles. We should, however, use the least toxic technology available. Zirconia always looks for the green chemistry pathway: similar or better performance and durability, without hazardous materials.

Looking ahead

Future-proofing the built environment

Zirconia will keep developing ceramic technologies that adapt the built environment to a changing climate and protect the natural environment.

In development

Cellular ceramic insulation

Our ceramic technology has appealing properties for new forms of cellular ceramic insulation that clads existing buildings and equipment externally, avoiding demolition. The material resists microbial growth, thermal cycling, weathering, and corrosion. It also absorbs and deflects sound. Crucially, it could clad buildings without demolishing and rebuilding walls, reducing both the cost and carbon footprint of renovation.

Common questions

How does Zirconia reduce greenhouse gas emissions?

By extending the lifespan of concrete assets, Zirconia eliminates the demolish-and-rebuild cycle. Because concrete and steel production accounts for roughly 18% of global GHG emissions, preserving existing infrastructure avoids enormous carbon output at scale.

Are Zirconia coatings safe for workers?

Zirconia's core inorganic coatings (CeramycGuard, PoreBlocker and ActiveCure) are water-borne and free of the toxic VOCs, Bisphenol A and isocyanates found in conventional epoxies and polyurethanes. VOC levels vary by product and are listed on each Technical Data Sheet.

Protect the asset before corrosion sets in.

Talk to our technical team about the right ceramic surface treatment for your concrete infrastructure.

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