*VOCs= Volatile organic compounds which are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids. This can include a variety of chemicals which may have adverse health effects.
*Concentrations of VOCs are higher indoors (one study estimates that levels are 2 to 5 times higher indoors than out!) and levels can be 1,000 times those outdoors during certain activities such as paint stripping.
*Examples of products that emit VOCs (just a few as there are thousands!): paints and lacquers, paint strippers, cleaning supplies, pesticies, building materials and furnishings, office equipment, and on and on.
*Symptoms of exposure: eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches, loss of coordination, nausea, damage to liver, kidney, and central nervous system.
*What evidence is there that VOCs are harmful? Some organic chemicals are known to be highly toxic while others have no known health effects. The EPA points out that toxicity depends on level and length of exposure and that at this point little is known about what health effects results from the levels of VOCs usually found in homes. However, many organic compounds cause cancer in animals and some are suspected, or known, to cause cancer in humans (gulp).
*How to reduce exposure: always use lots of ventilation when dealing with any of the products mentioned or any you think might be harmful (it's usually not hard to tell- most have an unpleasant odor!). If you think something in your house such as paneling contains formaldehyde, the EPA recommends removing the source. The EPA also mentions that cans of unfinished products can still emit harmful compounds (inconvenient but true), so they recommend trying to only buy quantities you will use-up or removing what's left over. Most of these types of products (or all) cannot be thrown away in the typical fashion- you will have to contact your local government or organization in your community that collects toxic household wastes. I would also add buying plants that are known to reduc household toxins to this list. Also, buy paints with low or no VOCs.
*Two compounds to avoid: methylene chloride and benzene. Methylene chloride is know to cause cancer in animals. This compound is found in products such as paint strippers, adhesive removers, and aerosol spray paints. It is converted to carbon monoxide in the body and can cause symptoms similar to carbon monoxide exposure. Benzene is a known human carcinogen. Main sources are tobacco smoke, stored fuels and paint supplies (EPA doesn't specify what this includes), and automobile emissions in attached garages.
*When dealing with paint, VOCs are found both in the base and the colorant, so even if a base is low or no VOC, adding color can raise the VOCs a lot. Another important distinction is emission versus VOC content. A paint can be low VOC and still emit VOCs; this is why it is important to measure emissions. GreenGuard, a company that says it is an industry-independent tester, certifies paint companies that meet its standards. You can look for this certification when shopping for paint.
Well, that was certainly enough to scare me. Wanting to avoid VOC's or at least use low VOC paint, I headed to Home Depot to check out the selection. There were two brands at Home Depot that I found that were either no VOC or low VOC: FreshAire (no VOC) and Martha Stewart (low VOC).
The Freshaire brand seems to be the real deal. They provide more information in their brochure and state that there are no VOCs in the paint or the colorant. They also say that the paint does not have a chemical odor and they are certified by GreenGuard. Finally, the packaging (including the can), brochures, and samples are all recyclable and printed with soy ink. My landlord did the painting for me so I can’t attest to whether or not the paint smelled but I’m pretty happy with the result:
I used a Martha Stewart color in the living room:
If you are interested in looking for no VOC paint, this website lists a whole bunch of brands to look for: http://eartheasy.com/live_nontoxic_paints.htm
If you’re wondering how performance of VOC paint compares to no VOC, you can read these consumer reports articles:
http://blogs.consumerreports.org/home/2008/04/vocs-in-paint.html
Unfortunately you can’t see their actual results unless you subscribe but I still found the articles helpful. They suggest that lower VOCs can mean lower quality or different performance so that may be something to keep in mind.
