The Truth About VOC Wall Paints and Why You Should Avoid Them
As society becomes more and more aware of their environmental responsibility, the demand for eco-friendly, non toxic wall paints has really taken off!
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You may or may not have heard of VOC or low VOC paints but it is important to understand the difference between them in order to make an informed decision when purchasing wall paint for your home.
What is VOC wall paint?
The term ‘VOC’ stands for ‘Volatile Organic Compounds’ that consist of either naturally occurring materials or synthetic chemicals. Either way these components that make up VOC paints can be harmful to you and the environment due to the toxins released from the paint. Significantly, these toxic chemicals are released into your home and the atmosphere years after the paint has dried.
Why you should avoid VOC paints
So, now you know what VOC wall paint is and what it contains, we wanted to discuss the risks of using it. Statistics show that there has been a long history of side effects associated with the exposure to VOCs. Side effects experienced include irritation, particularly amongst those who already suffer with asthma or sinuntius issues. According to the environmental protection agency, volatile organic compounds have been linked to cancer by a variety of studies relating to indoor air quality.
Another way of thinking about it is that VOCs are found in a list of common sources such as cleaning products and car fumes. When you think of it from that perspective you can really see why we suggest avoiding VOC paints. This is because it is not ideal to be inhaling this kind of chemicals consistently on a daily basis, but if you use paint with high levels of VOCs you could be doing exactly that.
Alternatives to VOC paints
On the upside, with the growing demand for low VOC paint, some paint brands have risen to the challenge of providing a range of quality paints without the nasty chemicals.
One brand who has dedicated all of its efforts to creating low VOC paints that come in a large range of up to date colours that are also vegan and eco-friendly is Victory Colours. Their brand started from personal values surrounding sustainability and wanting to give something back to our planet. The difference between their paints compared with standard VOC paints is that it is ultra low odour as the strong smell emitted by a fresh coat of paint comes from the VOC chemicals. Furthermore their paint is durable meaning you will not need to worry about topping it up with multiple coats helping to reduce expenditure and the chances of toxins being released. Victory Colours manufacture and sell only ethically produced paint that is safe for the environment, animals and your home.
Used By The Royals
Low VOC paint is also growing in popularity amongst many celebrities. Amongst the list of famous faces is Prince Harry and Megan Markle who recently redecorated their home and nursery in environmentally friendly, low VOC paint infused with rosemary and eucalyptus. The reason behind this was to firstly reduce the toxins in their home making it safer for their family but also because the addition of rosemary and eucalyptus is said to improve the immune system and increase creativity.
If it’s good enough for the Royals it’s good enough for us!
