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eco-articles

The article posted below is from the Wall Street Journal, comparing all the latest eco-friendly paint choices. Click on this link to see a chart comparing them side by side.

 
ABOUT THE HOUSE
By GWENDOLYN BOUNDS


Painting Without That Smell

New laws push paints to be eco-friendly and low on odor, but do they work as well?
June 21, 2008; Page W11

Recently I repainted a wall in my house. As always, I put down drop cloths and opened windows to vent the headache-inducing odors. But this time I encountered a first: There were no odors.

I was using a "zero-VOC" paint from Home Depot called Freshaire. It's one of the newest entrants in a fast-growing segment of the $21 billion paint and coatings market: paint containing few or no volatile organic compounds. VOCs are solvents that disperse into the air as paint dries. They've long been used to help paint spread evenly and adhere to surfaces, among other performance properties. But VOCs, which largely are responsible for that new-paint smell, can contribute to smog as well as kidney and liver damage, respiratory and memory problems and other illnesses, particularly in children.

[Paint image]

Now, major manufacturers and smaller brands alike are loading shelves with water-based coatings that contain fewer or even no VOCs. A former Ace Hardware executive last fall introduced a zero-VOC paint called Mythic. In January, Benjamin Moore completed a national rollout of Aura, a low-VOC paint it says covers most surfaces in a single coat, and the company plans to introduce a zero-VOC formula early next year. Home Depot put Freshaire into nearly all its 2,000 stores this April. Home Depot's merchandise manager for paint, Carl Koebbe, says it's "not out of the realm of possibility" that all paints carried by the chain might one day be zero-VOC.

Business is strong. Yolo Colorhouse in Portland, Ore., which opened in 2005, reports that sales of its zero-VOC paints are up 200% so far this year over last year. Sales of industry pioneer Safecoat, introduced in the 1980s, are growing 30% to 40% annually.

Consumers' eco-appetite is just one driver. New regulations are also behind lower VOC counts. While the federal government caps VOC content in paint at 250 grams per liter (g/L) for flat finishes and 380 g/L for others, the Environmental Protection Agency says it will propose this summer cutting those limits by more than half for most finishes. Meantime, many regions already have stricter counts. Beginning next month, all house paints sold in Southern California must have a VOC content of 50 g/L or less. And manufacturers selling paint in the region will soon have to pay an "emissions fee" for products containing 5 grams or more of VOCs per liter of material, according to a rule passed this month by the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

Beautiful natural and eco paints
Photo: istockphoto.com/mevans
Get to know these new-generation paints for a healthier home.
Lindsay Borthwick

As eco grows increasingly chic, more companies are offering paints labeled “low-VOC.” VOCs (volatile organic compounds) are found in a host of building materials and are partly responsible for that new-paint smell. But some VOCs provide more than an unpleasant whiff. These unstable chemicals off-gas into the atmosphere and contribute to the buildup of ozone, which is why governments began regulating them in the late 1980s. They also accumulate in the home, where levels can be as much as five times higher inside than out, and can cause health problems when inhaled. Painters complain about irritation to the eyes, nose and throat; higher concentrations can trigger headaches, nausea, allergies and chemical sensitivities and more. No wonder Health Canada recommends choosing low-emission products.

But not all eco-conscious paints are created equally. Some manufacturers are going further, creating products that are free of other unregulated solvents and additives that may be harmful to health and the environment. A few are made with ingredients from natural, reclaimed or renewable sources. Better yet, these products perform like other premium paints. But since you may not find them in the local hardware store, allow extra time for the shipping of colour decks, sample pots and paint.

Synthetic Paints: Low-VOC and Zero-VOC

Latex paints are the most common house paints on the market. The glue that holds the paint together is acrylic, a synthetic polymer. Most major brands have begun to produce low- or zero-VOC lines, though zero-VOC is actually a misnomer, since acrylic paints still contain trace amounts. And the tinting process usually adds some VOCs back — the darker the colour, the more VOCs. The most eco-friendly acrylics contain no extra solvents or additives and 5 g/L or less of VOCs.

Pros: Generally low odour; quick to dry; good coverage; hard-wearing; can be applied to most surfaces; large choice of colours.

Cons: Even with few VOCs, paint is synthetic and may contain other harmful solvents and additives; attracts dust; paint must not be washed down the drain.

Some brands:

Zero-VOC: AFM Safecoat, YOLO Colourhouse.

Low-VOC: Farrow & Ball Water-Based Eggshell, Benjamin

Moore Aura, Sherwin-Williams Duration Home, CIL Dulux Natural Whites, C2 LoVo

Eco-Friendly Paints: Low-VOC Options for the Environment

By Elle MacKenna


Conventional paint has never had a good reputation. It’s smelly, messy, old versions contained lead of all things and over the past decade it’s been tagged as a major indoor air pollutant. Today, thanks to consumer demand for healthier paints that perform, manufacturers are offering low-VOC options that are better for people and the environment.

VOC is short for volatile organic compound. It’s a little scary to think of anything volatile in your home but nonetheless VOCs have been part of the paint formula for decades. They are used as a solvent to enhance paint performance and durability.

If you’ve ever had your home repainted, you’ve met VOCs first hand in the fumes. The VOC solvents that give conventional paint its liquid consistency when wet are released into the air as the paint dries. The smell is part of the breathable gas produced by the drying solvents. It’s these air born chemicals that cause eye or respiratory irritation and pollute the environment.

The offensive that conventional paints produce is more than just a temporary odor. Even after paint dries, carcinogenic chemicals like benzene, formaldehyde and methylene-chloride in high-level VOC paints continue to emit hazardous pollutants.

These air born contaminants contribute to ground-level ozone and smog. Exposure to ground-level ozone is linked to respiratory problems and long-term exposure can cause damage to lung tissue. In addition to the human health hazards, ground-level ozone contributes to crop loss, forest decimation and damages ecosystems.

These days consumers don’t have to compromise their health or the health of the environment to get superior finishes. Paint manufacturers have developed techniques to produce quality products that release minimal pollutants. Eco-friendlier low-VOC paints offer comparable performance, durability and variety without the detrimental health effects.

Instead of VOC solvents, low-VOC paints use non-toxic binders. This allows considerable reduction or elimination of toxins and less noxious emissions both during and after application.

Paint by Numbers

Any paint other than a natural paint has some level of VOCs. VOC levels are typically expressed in grams per liter or g/l. Up until 1999, the content in paints was pushing 1000 g/l but federal regulations have since set the VOC content limit in paint at 250 grams per liter.

Green Seal, the developer of environmental standards, certifies interior paints as low-VOC if the content is below 50 g/l for flat coat or 150 g/l for non-flat coat. Zero-VOC paints are paints that have a VOC content of 5 g/l or less.

A paint manufacturer may claim their product to be low-VOC but the Green Seal is the true verification. The organization also considers performance criteria for certification including resistance to scratches, covering power and surface cleaning capacity.

The Green Seal standard sets the guidelines for the U.S. Green Build Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program. Green Build projects use low-VOC finishes alongside strategies like natural ventilation and daylighting to improve indoor environmental quality.

Lasting Coverage

A decade ago, environmentally friendly paint was struggling to overcome performance issues. The products were inferior, infuriating to contractors and viewed as just a small, trendy niche in the industry.

That niche has grown remarkably, rejuvenating a stagnant industry with steadily increasing sales. Eco-friendly paint is no longer synonymous with comprised quality and some even surpass their toxic counterparts in performance and durability.

Most leading paint manufacturers have a line of “green” paints including Pittsburgh Paints, Sherwin Williams, DuPont, Benjamin Moore and American Pride. Even Home Depot has secured their spot in the low-VOC paint market with Glidden’s Eco Options line.

Eco-friendly paints, first perceived as a trend, are now accepted as a permanent part of the industry. The shift towards sustainability is due to growing awareness of environmental issues, increased consumer demand and state initiatives to impart stringent regulations.

The California Air Resource Board has led the charge for VOC restrictions limiting most paint VOC content to about half of the federal standards. In 2005, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia all enacted similar VOC restriction standards. Following suit are Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire.

Watching Paint Dry is Big Business

Low-VOC paints are still overcoming some obstacles. The first one is that they tend to be more expensive than conventional paints – the price tag for low-VOC paint is usually about $2-3 dollars more per gallon. They are still premium products but demand is closing the price gap.

Another hurdle is in the application process. Because they have less solvents, low-VOC paints can be tougher for inexperienced painters to use. Also, the conventional drying and curing agents have been removed (or reduced) so they take longer to set.

The good news is twofold. Like manufacturers, savvy contractors are catching on to the idea that low-VOC paints are here to stay. They are quickly adapting to the differences making application of low-emission paint part of the repertoire.

The other bright spot, consumer demand is driving the paint industry to meet performance standards and it’s not just homeowners. The U.S. Green Build Council LEED program recognizes low-VOC paint as an indoor environmental quality guideline and over 75% of LEED certified buildings incorporate this element.

Most LEED projects are large-scale, commercial endeavors with big budgets for low-VOC architectural finishes that don’t aggravate their contractors or disappoint their clients. Translation: paint manufacturers are competing in variety, durability and performance. Better products are continually emerging and prices are on a downward trend.

If you’ve tried eco-friendly paints in the past and been disappointed, take another look. Today’s choices offer beautiful, environmentally responsible alternatives that perform without polluting.

 

 

 

Feb 07, 2010

Atlanta Eco Painters...Your Atlanta Green Painter!!!