Powder coating already has a good environmental record: no solvent, little waste. Manufacturers are now going after the powder itself, meaning what it contains and what becomes of it once it goes to waste.
Bottles in the resin
The polyester in a powder is a chemical cousin of PET, the plastic used in bottles. Sherwin-Williams led the way in 2020 with Powdura ECO, whose resin contains up to 25% recycled plastic. In May 2025, PPG launched Enviroluxe Plus, which contains up to 18% recycled PET and has a stated carbon footprint up to 30% lower than that of a standard durable powder. Resin suppliers Arkema and allnex, for their part, report contents of up to 40 to 50%.
PFAS-free and TGIC-free
PFAS, those persistent fluorinated compounds, get into some powders mainly through PTFE-based texture additives, explains Powder Coated Tough. Manufacturers have offered PTFE-free formulations since 2023. Another fundamental change: TGIC, a curing agent for polyesters that is subject to strict labelling in Europe, is giving way. TIGER Drylac is replacing two of its TGIC series with TGIC-free formulations.
What happens to waste powder?
This is the weak point. According to an estimate cited by Products Finishing, up to two billion pounds of powder reportedly end up in landfill each year worldwide. The figure is not verified, but the order of magnitude explains the emergence of recyclers that remelt waste powder to make new powder.
A growing market
These efforts follow the money. The firm MarketsandMarkets values the global powder coatings market at 16.3 billion US dollars in 2025 and forecasts 23 billion in 2031. Other firms give different figures; focus on the direction more than the amount. Also worth noting: recycled content and footprint reductions are manufacturers' figures, worded with an "up to".
In summary
- Some powders already contain up to 25% recycled PET, and some resins promise up to 50%.
- PTFE additives and the TGIC curing agent are being replaced.
- Waste powder still mostly goes to landfill, but recyclers are emerging.
- The global market exceeds 16 billion US dollars and is growing.
