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Old 17-07-2018, 09:41 PM   #4
thomashl_99
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THE TOXIC TRUTH ABOUT "LOW- VOC" AND "ZERO VOC"

What do you think of when you see the terms “low-VOC,” “no-VOC,” or “zero VOC” on the side of a can of paint? If you’re like most people, you probably think the paint is safer and doesn’t release as many fumes into your indoor air. Maybe you think it’s worth the premium price because it protects the health of your family. Unfortunately, for the most part, you’d be wrong.

What are the levels of VOCs in zero, low, and conventional paints?
Federal VOC limits are now set at 250 grams per liter (g/l) for flat paints and 380 g/l for others. But, there’s a patchwork of different standards in states and regions across the U.S. For example, California’s standards are stringent: 150 g/l for nonflat finishes and 100 g/l for flat. And, when you have lower requirements in such a massive economy, it tends to impact the whole industry, so today, a typical can of flat interior latex paint contains about 150 grams per liter of VOCs. Low-VOC is usually 50 g/l or less and no-VOC is usually 5 g/l or less.

Did you catch that first discrepancy?
No-VOC and zero-VOC paints can still contain VOCs. But, that’s just the beginning of how misleading these claims are. Allow us to spell out a few other toxic truths:

Toxic Truth #1
Even if you invest in low or no-VOC paint, if you’re adding a conventional color tint, you’re likely defeating your intentions. “You’ve flipped through a million paint chips and finally picked the color you want,” writes the Federal Trade Commission. “But if VOCs played a part in your paint choice, it’s important to know that stores will make that color by adding colorants to a base paint. And while the base paint may be low-VOC or VOC-free, the colorant may be anything but. In fact, tinting can significantly increase the VOC level of a paint, depending on the color choice. The bottom line: if you want low-VOC paint, look for low-VOC base paint and low-VOC colorant.” Typical colorants used to tint paint can be much higher in VOCs and can bump your VOC levels right back up to 100 g/L or more. (FYI – Darker colors tend to have higher VOC levels.)
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