Low VOC Paint: 5 Facts You Might Not Know, But Should
To start, VOC stands for volatile organic compounds – carbon-containing compounds in paint that are released into the air as paint dries.
1. Low VOC Paint does not equal Low Odor Paint. Many Low VOC Paints contain chemicals such as Acetone, Ammonia & Formaldehyde, to name a few.
2. Low VOC Paint does not equal safe paint. Countless potentially harmful chemicals can be found in Low VOC Paints, such as silica, crystalline, and a host of fungicides & bactericides.]
3. The EPA enforced regulations which required Paint Manufacturers to adhere to lowering the amount of VOC’s in paint in an attempt to reduce smog, so their focus is on exterior air pollution, although people tend to equate Low VOC Paints with improved indoor air quality.
4. Any paint manufacturer now in compliance with EPA standards can label their paint as, “Low VOC Paint”, and they can also call it, “Low Odor Paint.”
5. Low VOC Paints are measured before tinting them, so depending upon which particular tints each paint manufacturer uses, the total amount of VOC’s could increase well beyond EPA compliance.
Happy Painting!
– Troy Stevens (Owner, Stelzer Painting)
