Independent Product Performance Verification for Highly Corrosive Environments

The staggeringly, high annual cost of corrosion damage is apparent in all phases of society and the huge economic impact is a very important issue for all modern societies. Estimates for the cost of corrosion degradation is about €200 billion a year in Europe and over $270 billion a year in the U.S. The annual cost of corrosion consists of both direct costs and indirect costs. The direct costs are related to the costs of design, manufacturing, and construction in order to provide corrosion protection, and the indirect costs are concerned with corrosion-related inspection, maintenance and repairs. Recent trends continue to indicate that scientist are constantly seeking solutions, which tends to increase as the cost of corrosion damage rise from year to year. Discussions of the impact of protective coatings, which are being developed and used in modern industries, require increasingly sophistication for improved performance and durability and the need for properly verified products will be the primary focus. In this paper, we will also assess compliance issues, industry and regulatory standards. Additionally, a discussion on accepted third-party ratings, their certifications and their impact will be presented. We will demonstrate the importance of independent product performance verification, distinctive from verification of product safety compliance. Finally, a case study on PVC-coated galvanized conduit will provide the empirical data to support the need for independent product performance in highly corrosive environments.
The conclusions, evident from this presentation will support our goals to combat corrosion, help the audience to understand how, why there is a pressing need to look for, appreciate, and accept specification-related third-party verification standards. This will reach beyond traditional or even long-established ways of qualifying products intended to help fight the high cost of corrosion damage.