Select a resinous lining system for secondary containment based on actual chemical resistance

Steps

1. Identify the specific chemicals, concentrations, and temperature range the containment area must resist (from the facility's SDS/chemical inventory) before selecting a lining system — chemical resistance is chemical-specific, not a single generic 'chemical resistant' rating.
2. Request the coating manufacturer's chemical resistance chart and, where available, ASTM D543 (Practice for Evaluating Resistance of Plastics to Chemical Reagents) test data for the specific chemicals in question, rather than relying on generic marketing claims.
3. Match lining thickness and resin chemistry (novolac epoxy, vinyl ester, and epoxy phenolic are common choices for aggressive containment) to exposure severity — high-concentration acids/solvents typically need different chemistry than dilute aqueous chemicals.
4. Confirm the containment structure itself meets the facility's regulatory sizing/design requirement (e.g., EPA SPCC rules for petroleum secondary containment, or applicable fire code) — this is separate from the coating chemical-resistance selection.
5. Specify joint and penetration detailing (containment wall-to-floor cove, pipe penetrations) carefully, since containment failures more often originate at seams/details than at the field coating itself.