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Reposted with permission by Philip’s Perfect Colors
What’s a VOC?
VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) are the chemical ingredients in paint that evaporate into the atmosphere as the paint is drying. Government agencies (EPA in the U.S.) define what constitutes a VOC, and this differs depending on which continent you reside on. Europe uses a different definition of what can be labeled No-VOC or Low-VOC than does the United States. Europeans calculate VOC including the water in the paint, whereas in the U.S. VOC’s are calculated by measuring only the solids in the can. This results in a more stringent VOC regulation in the U.S.- even if the stated VOC’s on a can are the same as its European counterpart. There are also some ingredients used in European paints that are not classified as VOC’s in Europe but are classified as VOC’s in the U.S., for example, texanol. So there is debate as to what constitutes a VOC in and of itself.
“NO” vs. “LOW”
Is color a VOC?
No, color is not a VOC per se, although the colorants used in paint do contain some VOC’s. Color comes into the VOC debate when we consider how often we paint. Is it not more environmentally friendly to make color choices that we are going to be comfortable with over the lifespan of the paint coating? Often times in a desire to be trendy we may choose the latest fad colors only to grow tired of them before the room really needs to be repainted. If we pick colors that have a lasting appeal we can minimize the amount of painted used overall, thus reducing the net impact to the environment. Remember it is not just the paint but also the manufacturing and shipping processes that contribute to the carbon footprint of any can of paint. Therefore, the greenest can of paint is the one that we don’t need to buy.
