An official website of the United States government.

This is not the current EPA website. To navigate to the current EPA website, please go to www.epa.gov. This website is historical material reflecting the EPA website as it existed on January 19, 2021. This website is no longer updated and links to external websites and some internal pages may not work. More information »

Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP)

Substitutes in Adhesives, Coatings, and Inks

Adhesives, coatings, and inks traditionally contain solid components that are suspended in a solvent, spread over a surface and bond to it, and then allow the solvent to evaporate. Prior to the Montreal Protocol, the ozone-depleting substance methyl chloroform was often used as the carrier solvent in adhesives, coatings, and inks.

Adhesives
Adhesives are formulations of sticky solids used to adhere pieces of material together. Common uses are laminate adhesives, flexible foam adhesives, and hardwood floor adhesives.

Coatings
Coatings are durable and decorative coatings such as paints, wood stains, and aerospace coatings that contain solids distributed through a carrier solvent.

Inks
Inks are pigments distributed through a carrier solvent including flexographic and rotogravure printing inks.