January 12, 2015
The benefits of low or no VOC paints
VOC are organic chemical compounds which have significant vapour pressures and which can affect the environment and human health negatively. For a more eco-friendly option, use paints with low or no VOC to not only benefit the environment, but your own health too. In buildings that especially need to maintain good air quality like schools and hospitals, it is crucial to use the most health and environmentally friendly paint, as indoors VOC has higher levels.
There are various benefits to using Low / No VOC paints, besides the obvious health and environment benefits:
- Using low-VOC paint helps reduce allergy-causing toxins.
- Low-VOC paints helps to reduce the concentration of contaminants in the ozone layer, as well as groundwater and landfills.
- It’s easier to clean with soap and water than other paints.
- Low-VOC paints have a lower odour and less impact on the air quality.
- Low-VOC paints are less toxic and cause less toxic emissions.
- Low-VOC products perform well in terms of coverage, covering flaws and cleaning.
- Quick drying.
- Non-yellowing
These water-based natural paints (No-VOCs) give off almost no smell. They are made from natural raw ingredients such as water, bees wax, plant oils and resins, plant dyes and essential oils and natural elements such as clay, chalk and talcum etc. For a paint to classify as zero-VOC, it has to have VOC’s less than 5 grams per liter of paint. Low-VOC paints contain less than 200 grams of VOC’s per liter. However, to comply with the Green Seal Standard, most of the manufacturers strive to get less than 50 grams of VOC’s per liter. Even though some manufacturers claim Zero-VOCs, the paint may still use colorants, biocides and fungicides with some VOC’s. Should you add a colour tint, this usually brings up the VOC level up to 10 grams per liter.
While not all companies encourage the use of eco-friendly products yet, Pro Paint believes in protecting our clients and the environment. As advances in paint technology have improved over the years, there has been more development of environmentally friendly products with higher performance levels and competitive pricing. Contact us today for a quote!