🌐 This article was automatically translated from Chinese. Please refer to the original Chinese version if needed. · View original (Chinese)
Key Points:
1. From June 1, 2026, GB 30981.1/.2-2025 will officially replace seven old standards including GB 18582-2020, and for the first time bring putty, curing agents, and thinners under mandatory control.
2. VOC limits for water-based industrial coatings are set at 100g/L, VOC limits for solvent-based coatings are reduced by over 20%, and control of SVOC and biocides is newly added.
3. Non-compliant products are prohibited from production, sale, and import from the implementation date, and the transition period has ended.
▲ Key changes of GB 30981-2025 new national standard for limits of harmful substances in coatings: expanded scope of control, tightened VOC limits, and SVOC and biocides included in mandatory control for the first time
On June 1, 2026, the GB 30981.1-2025 "Limitations of Harmful Substances in Coatings Part 1: Architectural Coatings" and GB 30981.2-2025 "Limitations of Harmful Substances in Coatings Part 2: Industrial Coatings", hailed as the "strictest harmful substance limit standard in history" for the coatings industry, were officially implemented. This mandatory national standard, under the jurisdiction of the National Technical Committee for Standardization of Coatings and Pigments (SAC/TC 5) and jointly issued by the State Administration for Market Regulation and the Standardization Administration of China, has had a far greater impact on the coatings industry than any previous standard update.
Where is the "new" in the new national standard? — Three core changes
Change 1: Significant expansion of the scope of control.The new standard brings auxiliary materials such as putty, curing agents, thinners, color pastes, and paint removers into mandatory control for the first time, adds control of flooring supporting materials to architectural coatings, and extends industrial coatings to factory-applied coating scenarios. This means that past testing limited to main paint products now extends to the entire chain of the coating system.
Change 2: VOC limits tightened comprehensively. VOC limits for water-based industrial coatings are set at 100g/L, and VOC limits for some solvent-based industrial coatings are reduced by more than 20%. The standard adopts a "total amount + characteristic components" dual-limit mechanism, and meeting a single limit is no longer sufficient to satisfy compliance requirements. Taking architectural wall coatings as an example, the VOC limit for interior water-based coatings is further tightened from 120g/L.
Change 3: Addition of control over three new categories of hazardous substances. For the first time, SVOC (Semi-Volatile Organic Compounds) control is introduced, aligned with the EU REACH regulation, covering substances such as phthalates and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. At the same time, control over biocides is added, restricting the content of strong sensitizing preservatives and fungicides such as MIT (methylisothiazolinone) and CMIT. The total amount of benzene series, formaldehyde (limit halved), and heavy metals (tiered control) are simultaneously tightened, and asbestos is comprehensively banned.
Corporate Compliance Countdown—Three Things You Must Do
First, immediately conduct full product line testing.In accordance with the new GB 30981.1/.2-2025 standards, comprehensively test newly added indicators such as VOC, SVOC, and biocides. Focus on inspecting auxiliary materials such as curing agents and thinners—these products that were previously "outside" regulatory control are now the hardest-hit areas for compliance.
Second, there is no longer a buffer period for formula upgrades.After June 1, non-compliant products are prohibited from production, sale, and import. For enterprises involved in solvent-based industrial coatings, a VOC reduction of over 20% means the formulation system may require fundamental adjustments—shifting to water-based, high-solid, or solvent-free systems.
Third, supply chain collaborative review.The new standard control extends to the entire chain, and enterprises need to ensure that all upstream raw materials such as resins, solvents, and additives fully comply with the new standard requirements. Data from Centre Testing International (CTI) shows that the non-conformance rate of samples submitted for testing in the first half of 2026 was approximately 18%, mainly concentrated in excessive benzene series substances in curing agents and high VOC in color pastes.
Source:GB 30981.1/.2-2025, Centre Testing International 2026, Jiayu Testing
Industry impact: short-term pain, long-term benefit
In the short term, the new standard has accelerated the exit of small and medium-sized coating enterprises—according to estimates by the China National Coatings Industry Association, the standard upgrade may subject about 10–15% of micro and small enterprises to shutdown or transformation pressure, with these enterprises mainly concentrated in the fields of solvent-based industrial coatings and low-end architectural coatings.
In the long run, the new national standard will drive further increases in industry concentration, and green coatings such as waterborne, powder, and high-solid coatings will see a policy-driven growth window. At the same time, in January 2026 Shandong Province issued the Implementation Rules for Exempting Enterprises That Substitute Low-Volatility Raw and Auxiliary Materials from End-of-Pipe VOCs Treatment; after completing low-VOC substitution, enterprises may be exempted from end-of-pipe treatment facility construction—providing a substantial economic incentive for coating enterprises that proactively upgrade.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Which old standards does GB 30981-2025 replace?
GB 30981.1 replaces GB 18582-2020 (wall coatings) and GB 38468-2019 (indoor floor coatings); GB 30981.2 replaces five obsolete standards: woodware, vehicle, toy, industrial protective, and marine coatings.
Can inventory products manufactured before June 1 still be sold?
Production and import are prohibited starting from June 1. Existing stock of already produced products may continue to be sold until exhausted within the prescribed transition period, but market regulatory authorities across various regions have already launched special inspections.
Are water-based coatings necessarily compliant?
Not necessarily. The new standard regulates hazardous substance content rather than coating type; some water-based coatings may have excessive preservative (MIT/CMIT) levels and require laboratory testing to confirm.
Reference sources:GB 30981.1-2025 / GB 30981.2-2025, China National Coatings Industry Association, CTI Huace Testing, Jiayu Testing, Shandong Provincial Department of Ecology and Environment 2026
