The U.S. coatings (paint) industry uses about 2.6 × 10 9 pounds of polymers per year and converts these to coatings having about $11B in sales. These coatings are applied onto goods valued at about $1T to $2T. For example, the typical cost of the paint on a house is about $500; on a car, $200; and on a refrigerator, $50.