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Solvent based hobby paints banned from import in Canada?


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I was surfing the net and came across a web site that stated all solvent based hobby paints are prohibited from being from imported into Canada?

So, if true, that means Canadians can't get MM enamel???? Or Humbrol (I know Airfix-USA markets them here.) Is this true? Can you go down to the hardware store and buy a container of mineral spirits, lacquer thinner, or Acetone? Can you buy a gallon of enamel paint, or a rattle can of Krylon? What is going on up there? Solvent based paints are safe enough to use with adequate safeguards.

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Hannants website gives info on shipping some kinds of paints. Water based can go anyway, enamels by surface only & some such as alclad which have high flash point solvents they will not ship at all if there is any chance they may end up airborne. Perhaps this is what this is about? :huh:

Steve.

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One problem with the post here in the UK and I suspect in other countries.

You can pay for surface post, but if they have spare space on aircraft hey have been known to bump surface up to air.

My LHS has had parcels sent back as they contain aerosols, paint etc and have been rejected by the "aircraft" even though they have specified Surface mail.

Its a minefield and people will get less likley to offer services when they bounce back and cost them!

Julien

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o.k

this topic came back every season, it seems...

no, they have not yet banned the import of enamels.

only a few USA based hobby webstore that don't wanted to fill-in some customs paperwork...

hobby sized paint containers yet not concerned by canadian VOC regulations/laws.

i've succesfully import enamel even last week... ((for the 6th or 7th time in the year) mainly from hong kong and ukrain.)

oh, and yes, the MM metalizers are banned from canada, but because they contain lead (that's what my LHS guy told me, last time he sold me some...)

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Not true, not true, totally not true.

This issue was discussed at nauseum a number of months ago on multiple websites.

Oh and as for MM Metalizers, they're not banned either. My local shop has the full line of MM Metalizers, including thinner and sealer, and get fresh stock on a regular basis.

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Not true, not true, totally not true.

This issue was discussed at nauseum a number of months ago on multiple websites.

Oh and as for MM Metalizers, they're not banned either. My local shop has the full line of MM Metalizers, including thinner and sealer, and get fresh stock on a regular basis.

I realize that, but rules change. I saw the statement on a retail website yesterday, so being how the new year is about ready to kick off, I wanted to find out of maybe some new legislation had been passed.

Whatever a person's position on the enamel vs acrylic debate, it seems clear to me at least that enamels/lacquers aren't going anywhere until they ban them outright or acrylics become so good that enamels/lacquers offer no performance advantages.

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I realize that, but rules change. I saw the statement on a retail website yesterday, so being how the new year is about ready to kick off, I wanted to find out of maybe some new legislation had been passed.

The legislation only deals with VOC content in products. Solvents must be either low or non VOC formula. Model paints don't fall into the blanket covered by the law, as the law targets products geared to commercial use (contractors, etc) who would use large qtys. If a statement has been posted on a retail website, it is based on erroneous information.

Just my opinion, but perhaps that website does not wish to fill out the extra paperwork to prove the imported goods do not have VOC's. Where I work, I had to fill out all the paperwork for each of my suppliers that export solvents to us, and file them with our customs broker. Paperwork is good for a year. Not a big deal.....just a bit of a PITA. Hard to do for a retail operation that exports to any number of buyers......gotta be done each time. Not so bad for a distributor.

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