Painting your house is a stressful job, but the final outcome always leaves a pleasant feeling. However, besides the mess that happens when you are painting your home, one hazard that you unknowingly expose yourself to is the volatile organic compound (VOC) emission. The most commonly available paints and coatings are one of the major sources of man-made VOCs.
VOCs are basically organic chemicals with high vapour pressure at ordinary, room-temperature conditions. While they play an important role in communication between plants, these chemicals can pose a health risk to humans as well as the environment.
Health Risks from VOCs
Exposure to VOC emissions do not have immediate health risks, but can compound to long-term health problems like respiratory, allergic and immune effects. Some of these chemicals can produce new oxidation products and secondary aerosols that can lead to sensory irritation symptoms, especially in infants, children and pregnant women. Some of the common health effects that can be caused due to VOCs include irritation in the eyes, throat and nose, dizziness, headaches, nausea, damage to liver, kidney and the central nervous system. In rare cases, these chemicals can also lead to cancer in humans and animals.
Environmental Concerns
According to the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water in NSW, paint coatings account for 16% of all VOC emissions. The Department has also confirmed that these chemicals are linked to the greenhouse gases that are responsible for the climate changes. Benzene is one VOC that is found in environmental tobacco smoke, and can lead to air pollution. Moreover, as per AustraliaâEUR(TM)s National Pollutant Inventory (NPI), total volatile organic compounds are a known causative agent of photochemical smog. In liquid form (as in the case of coatings), VOCs may also impact on water and soil.
Go for Low VOC Paints & Coatings
One of the best ways to minimise these emissions and protect our health & that of the environment is to go for coatings that have low or no VOC content. Whether you are painting the exteriors of the house or the interiors, you must ensure that the coatings have extremely low quantity of these harmful chemicals. Low VOC coatings have the safe level of these chemicals and are manufactured with the use of natural raw materials such as chalk, pine trees, milk proteins, plant dyes, mineral oils, and more.
Another way to minimise exposure to volatile organic compounds is to avoid using additives that claim to reduce mold growth. These additives also are high on these chemicals. You should also ensure that you donâEUR(TM)t apply multiple coatings. Whenever a coating dries, volatile organic compounds are released; so it is important to minimise the number of coatings.
Choose green sustainable coatings, epoxies, primers and undercoats that can make a positive difference to the environment. Your choice of products would also ensure that you and your family are safe within the house as well as outside.