How to stay one step ahead of the game in industrial hygiene
Industrial hygiene regulations are becoming increasingly stricter. How can we use products to help raise the bar in safety without compromising on performance and efficiency?
Interview with Dr. Ann-Christin Bijlard-Jung, Technical Product Manager Aliphatic Polyisocyanates, Coatings & Adhesives, Covestro
March 19th, 2026
Industrial hygiene: Turning a challenge into an opportunity
In light of the EU Directive 2024/869 on occupational exposure limits - and with ever-evolving regulations very likely in the future - our team at Covestro is committed to helping you prepare by easing the transition to residual monomer content below 0.1%.
In this interview, we ask our expert Ann-Christin the following questions:
How can Ultra help achieve improved industrial hygiene?
Which industries should we keep an eye on when it comes to upcoming industrial hygiene regulations?
How can customers continually adapt to industrial hygiene regulations whilst maintaining productivity?
What should customers remember when it comes to industrial hygiene?
Watch the video to hear some insights – and sign up to our webinar to learn more in-depth details on how Ultra can help you!
Health and safety are always the priority, which is why proper training for using isocyanate-based materials remains essential. We want to help our customers to remain efficient and to navigate in this increasingly stringent environment.
Like to read the interview as well as watching it? You can find the transcript below:
How can Ultra help achieve improved industrial hygiene?
The Covestro Ultra portfolio comprises products that have a level of diisocyanate content below 0.1%. This allows our customers to comply with the stricter regulatory requirements in REACH and also occupational exposure limits, while providing our customers with the same technical performance.
Which industries should we keep an eye on when it comes to upcoming industrial hygiene regulations?
So the Desmodur® Ultra N 75 is an ingredient in formulations where compatibility and robustness is key. This is especially relevant for industries like automotive refinish, corrosion protection, and wood and furniture. These industries have in common that we have a lot of manual, for instance, spray applications here, which is what puts them also in the focus of EU regulatory activities. For instance, we have the German Cohort study and also the Occupational Exposure Limits that focus on these industries.
How can customers continually adapt to industrial hygiene regulations whilst maintaining productivity?
So with the Ultra product line, we allow our customers to use it as a 1 to 1 drop in. This means that customers don't have to compromise on productivity or efficiency, and don’t need to have rigorous training documentation. This allows our customers to proceed with the ongoing regulatory requirements in the best possible way.
What should customers remember when it comes to industrial hygiene?
Health and safety is the most important, which is why proper training prior to using isocyanate-based materials remains essential. The Ultra product line can help our customers to remain efficient and to navigate in this more and more stringent environment. We as an industry, strive to ensure proper handling of these materials to make sure that we can continue to use this versatile polyurethane technology.
Key takeaways
Supports CO₂ reduction
Supports CO₂ reduction
Manufacturers of products from furniture & flooring to printing & packaging, are all on a mission to reduce their carbon footprint. Fast-curing and partly bio-based materials will be key to enabling the transition to becoming a carbon neutral business.
Delivers extensive versatility
Delivers extensive versatility
Partly bio-based UV-curable resins not only contribute towards lowering environmental impact, but also deliver the full versatility of traditional counterparts, with some even offering added functionality.
Delivers high quality and performance
Delivers high quality and performance
Reducing your carbon footprint doesn’t have to mean compromising on product quality or material performance with UV-curable resins. Manufacturers across industries choose these resins because they are fast-curing, versatile, and often premium quality.
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