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Old 17-07-2018, 09:46 PM   #5
thomashl_99
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Toxic Truth #2
VOC content regulations were developed to help reduce outdoor VOC emissions that contribute to the formation of ground ozone and smog. They were not developed to reduce indoor VOC emissions or chemical exposure to building occupants.

According to environmental attorney Jennifer Taggart:

The term “VOC” is often used in a precise regulatory context, and the definition is defined by laws. From a regulatory perspective, VOCs are usually of concern because they evaporate at room temperature and then react in sunlight to help form ground-level ozone, an integral component of photochemical smog. These VOCs are referred to as smog precursors. Smog is that green haze that hangs over many large cities, and that we are working to eliminate.

But you are probably more concerned with VOCs because they have health effects. VOCs can cause respiratory distress; skin and eye irritation; headaches; nausea; muscle weakness; and even more serious ailments and diseases. For example, formaldehyde, a VOC often found in the home because of its presence in engineered wood products, including furniture, cabinetry and building materials, is considered a probable carcinogen by the EPA, is listed on California’s Proposition 65 list of chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer, is genotoxic (damaging to genetic material), and also causes eye, nose and throat irritation.

When it comes to trying to reduce toxic chemical exposures, understanding the regulatory framework is important for any class of products. For example, if you buy a paint labeled “low VOC”, you are usually buying a paint that has low VOC content based upon the definition of VOC under the federal Clean Air Act. In this context, VOCs are defined in terms of photochemical reactivity (ability to form ozone), and not toxicity. In the regulatory context, certain VOCs are exempt from regulation because they are not photochemically reactive (they are not smog pre-cursors). However, these VOCs may be toxic. For example, methylene chloride and 1,1,1-trichloroethane are not considered photochemically reactive, so they are exempt. But they are associated with adverse health effects.
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