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Sustainability

Welcome to Planet Possible
Together we can do more with less

Planet Possible is the brighter future we can all help create – simply by making smart choices

Planet Possible. Let’s do more with less

At Dulux, we believe that getting more from less is fundamental to successful business.

By working together we believe that we can create a brighter vision for the future by driving innovation; to deliver greater value to our customers by enabling them to do more with less.

Crucially, we can do all this by using fewer resources, and lessening our impact on the environment while building up the future generation.

That’s why doing more with less is at the heart of Dulux.

Dulux is part of AkzoNobel and you can find out find out more about Planet Possible and the progress AkzoNobel is making, here.

Products delivering more from less

A key priority in our product innovation and development is reducing the environmental impact of the decorating process. This can be achieved in a number of ways, including replacing solvent-based formulations with water-based, creating products with minimal VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) content, and maximising durability to extend maintenance cycles. We also design products that have a positive impact; such as the Dulux Trade Ecosure product range.

Getting the right durability is key

We have developed formulations with increased durability such as Dulux Trade 100 low sheen and / or Dulux Trade 50 Matt for when a project needs a finish that will stand the test of time. Extending maintenance cycles not only means lower maintenance and product costs but also the use of fewer resources and a lower carbon footprint over the life of a building.

If however the project demands regular updates due to fashion or consumer demands then products with lower embodied carbon and standard durability will be the lower impact and the more economical solution. So, by ensuring you’re matching the demands of your building to the performance of our products you’ll always be having the lowest impact.

Environmental products and services

Water-based progress

By committing to water-based technologies, we have worked to make ever-more effective trim and wall products with reduced VOC content.

And by developing water-based products with good application and finish characteristics, we’re actively driving wider adoption of these lower impact, water-based alternatives

Products that do more

Our world-leading technical resource allows us to apply science to create products which help our living spaces perform more efficiently to use fewer resources. We call these Positive Impact products

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Services delivering more from less

As part of a global organization, we have the ability to develop local services supporting more sustainable practices on site, all over the world.

Dulux Trade – developing innovative products for a better future

There are many things we can all do to minimise this waste: for example by storing partly-used containers correctly so that the paint can be re-used. Nevertheless, there will always be some waste paint that needs to be disposed of responsibly. At Dulux Trade we are committed to minimising the environmental impact of our products, during manufacture, in use and afterwards. And we express our commitment through our ‘step towards greener’ philosophy.

Step towards greener
With the Dulux Trade Environmental Wash System and the Dulux Trade Paint Solidifier we have set out to find solutions that enable decorators and contractors to achieve best practice in waste management, at a time when the ability to demonstrate environmental awareness is not just advisable – it is increasingly essential. Both innovations help to minimise the risk of waste paint entering the water system, and the Paint Solidifier can also prevent paint containers being sent to landfill.

Adopting these waste management solutions and switching to ‘step towards greener’ products such as Ecosure can enhance the user’s professional reputation and increase the chances of winning lucrative contracts.

The Dulux Trade vision for our products
Waste in the decorating process is a growing issue for specifiers and contractors alike and Dulux Trade has been turning its attention to this for some time.

What can you do?
Use the 3R’s, they apply to decorating too.

Reduce – ensure that the quantity of paint is right for the job. Also by choosing durable products such as those in the Diamond Range, maintenance cycles can be extended which helps to reduce the impact on the environment.

Re-use – leftover paint can be used on other jobs. Alternatively, donate paint to a local Community Repaint facility or re-use paint cans for other purposes.

Recycle – Dulux Trade Environmental Wash System
Turn paint washings into solid waste and clear water. The Dulux Trade
Environmental Wash System, a part of the Sustainable offering, provides an environmentally friendly way of washing out paint brushes and rollers, minimising the impact of waste disposal by turning the paint washings into a small amount of inert solid waste and clear water which can be recycled – conserving water in the process.

What we’re doing

Dulux Trade can help tackle a number of waste problems:

Waste washings from cleaning of brushes and rollers – The Environmental Wash System eliminates harmful paint washings entering the water system.

Small amounts of leftover paint – The Paint Solidifier, a revolutionary way to dispose of leftover paint.

Water based ranges

Specifying water based alternatives to solvent based products can help minimize the environmental impact of the coating. Water based products have a lower carbon footprint due to the replacement of oil based solvents with water.

Environmental Wash

The Dulux Environmental wash system allows customers to wash out brushes, rollers and other painting tools in a way that minimizes the impact on our environment. It converts the paint washings into clean water plus a small amount of solid waste, conserving water in the process.

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Helping shape our industry's future

We firmly believe that our industry as a whole can make a significant difference in helping to tackle social and environmental issues such as climate change. We also see no reason why smarter, greener solutions shouldn’t be good for business.

We seek to positively influence regulation. In Europe AkzoNobel was influential in agreeing new lower VOC limits for paint.

We have been leading the move to safer paints across the industry. We are proud of our comprehensive product stewardship process. By applying one set of standards globally we are often ahead of local legislation and our leadership helps to drive the whole market forward. We also adhere globally to the principles of Coatings Care® which promotes health, safety and environmental performance. Focusing on use of less hazardous chemicals and ensuring safe use of chemicals is one of the driving forces of Dulux Trade South Africa innovation.

How we're doing much more

We believe we can’t offer other more sustainable solutions unless we are walking the talk within our company. That’s why we’re implementing developments to make every aspect of our work more sustainable. It’s this kind of pan-organizational, practical action that has led us to be ranked No. 1 in the worldwide Dow Jones Sustainability Index.

Integrating Planet Possible into every aspect of the decorating process

We work in partnership with our customers, developing services to help them reduce the environmental impact of their business and demonstrate the commitment to sustainability that is essential to winning business in today's world.

Working with contractors to promote resource efficiency

Throughout the world, we work in close partnership with the contractors who use our products every day, providing a menu of services, training programmes, flexible packages and all-round support to help them improve their business and protect the environment by working as sustainably as possible. We aim to help contractor companies find the most effective way to reduce, reuse and recycle, how to choose the most sustainable products and manage their business sustainably.