Green Options » volatile organic compounds

Think Twice Before Painting

Rob Yunich — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 19:55:24 +0000

A part of the environmental debate that hasn’t gotten a lot of attention made the pages of the March 2009 issue of Consumer Reports and it’s sure to raise some eyebrows. The offender? Interior paint.

A moment of pause should occur before you decide you head to the store and start thinking about changing the color of their dwelling’s walls. According to eartheasy.com, “indoor air is three times more polluted than outdoor air, and according to the [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)], is considered to be one of the top-five hazards to human health. Paints and finishes are among the leading causes.”

The offending toxin in paints are called Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), organic chemical compounds that have high enough vapor pressures under normal conditions to significantly vaporize and enter the atmosphere. The EPA lists possible symptoms as eye, nose, and throat irritation; headaches, loss of coordination, nausea; damage to liver, kidney, and central nervous system.

Life After Desk: Don’t Toss that Tropical Hardwood

Simran Sethi — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 18:55:34 +0000

Simran Sethi and Sarah Smarsh are writing a series on the surprising journeys of everyday things. They will be posting previews on Green Options before launching the posts on Huffington Post. Here’s a sneak peek at the desk you threw away.

How can a mahogany desk, made of slow-growing hard wood plundered from the Amazon, be eco-friendly?

When it’s re-used.

Often, the greenest consumer route is not buying new products made with Earth-friendly methods but rather scoring used products made with traditional, possibly heinous methods. Reduce, reuse, then recycle.

This rule of thumb certainly applies to office furniture. Unlike energy-consuming products such as appliances, furniture is somewhat innocuous to the environment during that period between factory and landfill known as “in use.” The impacts on indoor air quality, however, are like Britney: Not that innocent.

Tip o’ the Day: Green Paint

Amy Stodghill — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 15:17:35 +0000

One the easiest ways to give your place a facelift is to slap on a fresh coat of paint. But beware of that new paint smell - it can do more damage than you think, even after it's dry. Here's a few things to consider if you're thinking about throwing some color on your walls.

The old standards on the paint market are normally oil based or water based (latex) paints. Latex paints, most common for DIYers, are made up of pigments, binder, additives and water. There are also solvents and biocides (to prevent bacterial growth) that aren't always listed. All these things can add up to one giant headache - literally. When you get a headache or nausea from wet paint aroma, that is the VOCs affecting you (volatile organic compounds).

Reduce your exposure by purchasing low VOC paints. Many major paint brands have low VOC lines and can be found in many hardware stores and at most home improvement centers. Look for the Green Seal certification for an added eco-stamp of approval.

Another options is to go the natural route. Natural paints mainly contain citrus oil, lime, clay, linseed oil and/or chalk, and little or no VOCs. The manufacturing of these products is often more eco-friendly as well. However, keep in mind that natural paints could also contain some non-natural ingredients, can take longer to dry, and have different finishes than the (low VOC) latex counterpart.

In addition to the paint think about the tools you're using. Instead of buying cheap, disposable brushes and rollers, invest a few dollars more into quality products that you can reuse the next time around and will give you a better result. Better quality paint and spackle will also hold up over time so repainting and touch-ups will be less frequent.

Even with low VOC paint, make sure to keep areas ventilated with open windows and fans. Turn off central AC or heating to prevent the spread of any VOCs throughout the house.

When cleaning up take any extra paint to a designated waste disposal site. The GreenHomeGuide recommends washing brushes in a bucket instead of in the sink, then pouring that water down the toilet so it will be treated by the sewage system.

If you're not doing the painting yourself be sure to bring up these points with the painters or contractors you hire. And when doing any prep work, especially sanding, take proper precautions as the old paint on the wall may contain lead or mercury that will be released into the air through dust.

Amy says: I'm about to repaint my bedroom and choosing a low VOC paint was the easy part. Choosing a color is a little more difficult.

For more information and a further detailed description of oil, latex and natural paints read more at GreenHomeGuide. Also take a look at our new Green Life Guide entry.

Environmental Protection Agency painting and indoor air quality information