Squelch the Stench
Breathe Easy and Say “No!” to Smelly Paints

There’s nothing quite like the look of a freshly painted room: It speaks of new beginnings and possibilities.

Unfortunately, there’s nothing quite like the smell of one, either. A just-painted room reeks of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can cause eye, nose, and throat irritation, plus headaches, nausea, and dizziness. Some VOCs can cause cancer in animals, and some are suspected or known to cause cancer in humans.

Paint is cheap; your health is priceless. Before you begin any interior painting project (and that goes for stripping and staining, too), be sure the space is well-ventilated. Take frequent fresh-air breaks and consider buying a low-toable no-VOC paint product. Cost and performance are virtually the same between low-VOC and the more traditional interior paint products.

Environmental Building Supplies, a Portland, OR, retailer dedicated to offering environmentally stable building materials, stocks several low-to-no-VOC products, including AFM Safecoat and American Pride®.

AFM Safecoat’s line of paints, stains, and sealers is formulated to eliminate those odor-producing aromatic solvents, heavy metals, and formaldehyde preservatives. American Pride® paints are Green Seal® certified, are usually solvent-free (zero VOCs), and never contain chemicals that are suspected carcinogens.

For more than a decade, low-VOC paints have been the mainstay of Miller Paint’s consumer line. Their entire Acro line features paint composed of an ecologically friendly, solvent-free, acrylic resin base. The paint is stain resistant and fights odor-causing mold, mildew, and bacteria.

Because controlling environmentally damaging emissions is one of the reasons behind manufacturing low-VOC paints, it makes sense that an exterior version of the product be available as well. Rodda’s line of Horizon paint offers both an exterior and interior low-VOC paint. Introduced in 1995, there are more than 40 indoor and outdoor products available in the Horizon line. These are all Green Seal® certified, are rated to emit low VOCs, and are resistant to mold and mildew.

Another manufacturer offering a low-to-no-VOC paint is Sherwin-Williams. Their line is called Harmony, and it offers a zero-VOC, low-odor, silica-free coating that allows occupancy of newly painted spaces. Harmony is also formulated withanti-microbial properties to resist mold and mildew.

Resources

AFM Safecoat
www.afmsafecoat.com

American Pride
www.americanpridepaint.com

Environmental Building Supply
www.ecohaus.com

Miller Paint
www.millerpaint.com

Rodda Paint
www.roddapaint.com

Sherwin-Williams
www.sherwin-williams.com

What exactly is a volatile organic compound? According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, VOCs are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids. Repeated studies show concentrations of many VOCs are up to 10 times higher indoors than outdoors.

Organic chemicals are widely used as ingredients in household products. Paints, varnishes, and wax all contain organic solvents, as do many cleaning, disinfecting, cosmetic, degreasing, and hobby products. Fuels are made up of organic chemicals. All of these products can release organic compounds while you are using them, and, to some degree, when they are stored.

Studies indicate that while people are using products containing organic chemicals, they can expose themselves and others to very high pollutant levels, and elevated concentrations can persist in the air long after the activityis completed. Some VOCs are known or suspected carcinogens to either humans or animals.

For more information about VOCs and steps you can take to protect yourself, visit www.epa.gov and search for “VOC.”