The United States Environmental Protection Agency has put paint on its top-five list of environmental hazards.
‘It doesn’t surprise us’, says Daniel Wurm, president of the Greenpainters Association. ‘Conventional paints can make the air you breathe a chemical cocktail even long after they have dried, as they continue to release petroleum based solvents, called Volatile Organic Compounds [VOCs] as they cure.’
It is estimated that each year in Australia more than 80,000 tonnes of VOCs are released into the atmosphere, with the paint industry contributing significantly to this amount. Emission profiles from the EPA in California show that surface coatings are responsible for 9% of all VOC emissions in that state.
Studies have shown that the cumulative VOC emissions from architectural painting operations exceed the combined emissions from a variety of industrial operations. VOCs from solvent and paint emissions contribute to harmful ozone formation and peroxyacetyl nitrate.
The Master Painters Association says that ‘ozone irritates eyes, nose, throat and lungs; reduces breathing capacity even in healthy adults and children; increases susceptibility to infection, hospital visits and admissions; [and] causes damage estimated to cost over millions of dollars per year to crops and buildings’.
Typical oil-based paint averages 350g/L VOCs, or between 35-50% of the paints volume. Even water-based acrylics, which are much less toxic, still contain 3-7% solvent content.
The VOC content of paint and the CO2 emitted during manufacture are key contributors to environmental impact - primarily in the form of air pollution (petrochemical smog) and to a lesser degree greenhouse gases.
It is suspected that VOCs may also trigger respiratory reactions, and contribute to Sick Building Syndrome. It has been estimated that in recently renovated buildings, approximately 70 % of the indoor pollutants emanate from the paints used.
Adverse health impacts such as Painter's Syndrome (brain and central nervous system damage), skin diseases, lung diseases and reproductive disorders have been linked to such modern paints.
Just because a paint says it is "no VOCs does not mean it does not give off hazardous vapors’, says the US Enviromental Protection Agency. Other chemicals in conventional paints include glycols, toulene, hydrocarbons, xylene, and ammonia.
Mineral turpentine (used as a thinner and solvent) may contain up to 20% benzene, which is a confirmed carcinogen and mutagen in chronically exposed workers. In several paints up to 20% of a tin by volume can be the pigment Titanium Dioxide, a product that can have high environmental impact load associated with it.
Acrylic paints are much safer to work with through having less hydrocarbon solvents. However, acrylic paints typically include a range of biocides to protect the latex, which can include arsenic disulphide, phenol, copper, formaldehyde, carbamates, permethrin and quaternary ammonium compounds.
‘While biocide manufacturer’s claim that the formaldehyde in these products won’t come out, EPA data shows this is not the case’ (Maline N. 1999) Many metal pigments used in paints (e.g. cadmium) are highly toxic and relatively rare resources.
Having these chemicals coating our walls and in the air we breathe is surely not desirable.
Now there are alternatives. Non-toxic paints is a term which can be loosely applied to many different products, and generally means the product contains levels of chemicals that are considered safe for normal everyday use.
Low-VOC Acrylics: There are many benefits from choosing low or zero VOC paints- apart from being better for the environment, there are little or no fumes when painting. In 1997 the Australian Paint Approval Scheme began an initiative within the Australian paint industry that aimed to reduce overall VOCs in locally manufactured paint. Current Australian standards require maximum VOC concentrations of 5g/L.
‘In doing so, they were trying to 'catch up' with European standards, which have already set lower targets for the future. Many of the larger paint companies have produced products which have been certified to be 'environmentally friendly', but are still synthetic paints made from petrochemicals, with lower VOC concentrations. However, these products are still a step in the right direction, and should be considered by specifiers and consumers who wish to use acrylic paints’, Wurm said.
Natural paints are made using naturally occurring ingredients, and therefore do not require high levels of processing. Many of the ingredients are made from renewable resources, such as linseed oil, and citrus oil.
These natural VOCs can also cause reactions such as watery eyes or respiratory problems in people sensitive to these chemicals. They also contain plant resins, finely ground minerals, and earth pigments. Most of the companies producing the paints offer full ingredient-disclosure statements for the products.
Natural paints use plant-derived solvents and binders instead of synthetic ones, so have VOC levels of between 0-1%. This results in better health outcomes, and uses renewable resources for sustainable living.
‘You can have any color as long as it's 'green'!’, said Wurm. ‘There is now a network of painters across Australia who are keen to use these products, and know how to help consumers choose the healthy option.’
Greenpainters Association is a network of professional tradesmen established to provide advice, knowledge and skills to help consumers get environmentally-friendly, non-toxic coating for their painting and decorating project.
Greenpainters Association web-site provides objective summaries of sustainable paints and coatings, and information to help builders and renovators achieve the look they want while being eco-sensitive and health-conscious.