GreeniacsArticles
Consumer Products
Non Toxic Paint
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Written by Lindsay Crowder
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| Tuesday, 10 June 2008 | ||||
Non-Toxic Paint Paints and finishes, according to the EPA, have been considered one of the top five hazards to human health and the environment. Not only do they release hazardous toxins upon use, but they can also continue to release low-level toxic fumes into the air for years after application.These toxic fumes are a result of a variety of VOC's (Volatile Organic Compounds), which are traditionally essential to the performance of the paint. Research shows that there are 300 toxic chemicals and 150 carcinogens potentially present in oil based paint. The fumes from these chemicals can easily accumulate in closed spaces while painting, irritating the eyes, skin and lungs. Fortunately, with a new wave of consumer concern and stricter environmental regulations, many manufacturers have switched their focus to low-VOC and zero-VOC paints and finishes. Although this technology has been around as long as high-VOC and lead-based paints, the eco-friendly paints are easy to use while providing benefits for you and the environment.
When preparing for your paint job, always: 1) Check the VOC level (stick to below 50g/l, grams per liter, for most eco-friendly); 2) Do not buy more paint than is necessary-donate leftovers or dispose of them responsibly; 3) If your house pre-dates 1978, check with your local lead inspectors to take necessary precautions; 4) Use a non-toxic paint stripper when applicable. Biodegradable, water-soluble, noncaustic and nontoxic products are now available. EarthEasy.com provides a quick list of the benefits of non-toxic paints and an extensive list of distributors: Health- Reduced toxins benefit everyone, including those with allergies and chemical sensitivities. Environment- Reduces landfill, ground water and ozone depleting contaminants. Effective- Low-VOC products perform well in terms of coverage, scrubability and hideability (covering flaws on previous coats). Water-Based- Easy cleanup with soap and warm water. Little or No Hazardous Fumes- Low odor during application; no odor once cured. No off-gassing. Painted areas can be occupied sooner, with no odor complaints. Not Deemed Hazardous Waste- Clean up and disposal greatly simplified. Below is a shopping guide of non-toxic or low-toxic paint choices (Note: Refer to our GreeniacsGuide, Use Eco-Friendly Paint, for a more extensive introduction to the different types of non-toxic paint): Natural Paints and Finishes The Real Milk Paint Company -non-toxic paint made with milk protein, lime, clay and earth pigments. (www.realmilkpaint.com) Aglaia - Natural finishes for manyapplications, from high quality wall paints to specialty paints for plasters orglazing. (www.aglaiapaint.com) Livos - Organic paint, stains, oilsand waxes made using all natural ingredients. Coatings are linseed oil andcitrus oil based, non-toxic, low VOC and are designed primarily for wood.(www.livos.us) Auro - Solvent-free, water-basednatural paints and primers, finishes, stains and adhesives. (www.aurousa.com) EcoDesign's BioShield - Line ofnatural paints and finishes. (www.bioshieldpaint.com) Weather-Bos - Line of natural stains,finishes and paints. Blends of natural oils and resins designed to adhere tothe wood, forming a monolithic bond. (www.weatherbos.com) Silacote - made from natural mineralcompounds, for use on masonry, concrete and wallboard; interior/exterior.(www.silacote.com) Anna Sova - natural paints from milkcasein, titanium dioxide and food-grade ingredients. (www.annasova.com) Green Planet Paints - natural claypaints for interiors using unique Mayan clay pigments. (www.greenplanetpaints.com)
Zero VOC-AFM Safecoat - Flat interior latex; semi-gloss interior enamel. (www.afmsafecoat.com) ICI Lifemaster 2000 - Flat, Eggshell, semi-gloss interior; primer. Best Paint Company - Zero-VOC Interior paints, primers and specialty products (faux glaze, varnish replacement, etc) and Low-VOC Exterior paints and primers. (www.bestpaintco.com) ICI Decra-Shield - exterior zero-VOC paints. (call 800 984-5444) Kelly-Moore Enviro-Cote - ENVIRO-COTE line of paints are zero-VOC. (call 916 921-0165) Devoe Wonder Pure - odor-free interior acrylic latex paints. (www.devoepaint.com) Dunn-Edwards Ecoshield - Zero-VOC, low odor, ethylene glycol-free interior paints. Primer, flat, low-sheen, and semi-gloss. Manufactured by Dunn-Edwards. (www.dunnedwards.com) American Pride - Zero-VOC interior latex and acrylic enamel paints. (www.americanpridepaint.com) Sherwin Williams Harmony - new HARMONY line of zero-VOC low-odor latex interior paints. Flat, eggshell, semi-gloss and primer. (www.sherwin.com) Frazee Paint EnviroKote - line of interior zero-VOC paints: semi-gloss, flat, and primer. Allied Photo Chemical - supplies zero-VOC, UV-curable paints, inks and coatings to manufacturers.(www.alliedphotochemical.com) Olympic Paint and Stain - Zero-VOC Olympic Premium interior line. Yolo Colorhouse - Zero-VOC, low-odor, premium interior paint. (yolocolorhouse.com) Green Planet Paints - Zero-VOC, clay-based interior paints. (greenplanetpaints.com) Benjamin Moore Pristine EcoSpec -Zero-VOC, under 1 gram/liter. Flat, eggshell, semi-gloss finishes and a primer. Low VOC- Benjamin Benjamin Moore Saman - water-based wood stains Cloverdale Horizon - Flat, Eggshell, Semi-Gloss interior enamels Cloverdale EcoLogic - Low VOC's, under 10 grams/liter. Flat, Eggshell, Semi-Gloss interior. MAB Paints - Enviro-Pure Interior Latex Zero VOC line Miller Paint - Acro Solvent Free Interior Acrylic line Vista Paint - Carefree Earth Coatline PPG Architectural Finishes - Pittsburgh Paints Pure Performance line
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| Last Updated ( Friday, 14 October 2011 ) | ||||
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Green Facts
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Turning off the tap when brushing your teeth can save as much as 10 gallons a day per person.
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For every 38,000 bills consumers pay online instead of by mail, 5,058 pounds of greenhouse gases are avoided and two tons of trees are preserved.
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Americans use 100 million tin and steel cans every day.
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Americans throw away more than 120 million cell phones each year, which contribute 60,000 tons of waste to landfills annually.
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One recycled aluminum can will save enough energy to run a 100-watt bulb for 20 hours, a computer for 3 hours, or a TV for 2 hours.
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You will save 100 pounds of carbon for each incandescent bulb that you replace with a compact fluorescent bulb (CFL), over the life of the bulb.
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A tree that provides a home with shade from the sun can reduce the energy required to run the air conditioner and save an additional 200 to 2,000 pounds of carbon over its lifetime.
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A steel mill using recycled scrap reduces related water pollution, air pollution, and mining wastes by about 70%.
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Shaving 10 miles off of your weekly driving pattern can eliminate about 500 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions a year.
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Current sea ice levels are at least 47% lower than they were in 1979.
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Recycling 1 million laptop computers can save the amount of energy used by 3,657 homes in the U.S. over the course of a year.
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Refrigerators built in 1975 used 4 times more energy than current models.
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The World Health Organization estimates that 2 million people die prematurely worldwide every year due to air pollution.
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Recycling aluminum saves 95% of the energy used to make the material from scratch.
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A laptop consumes five times less electricity than a desktop computer.
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An aluminum can that is thrown away instead of recycled will still be a can 500 years from now!
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77% of people who commute to work by car drive alone.
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Americans throw away enough aluminum to rebuild our entire commercial fleet of airplanes every 3 months
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Every week about 20 species of plants and animals become extinct.
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Recycling 100 million cell phones can save enough energy to power 18,500 homes in the U.S. for a year.
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Due to tiger poaching, habitat destruction, and other human-tiger conflicts, tigers now number around 3,200—a decrease in population by about 70% from 100 years ago.
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Bamboo absorbs 35% more carbon dioxide than equivalent stands of trees.
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Glass can be recycled over and over again without ever wearing down.
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Rainforests are being cut down at the rate of 100 acres per minute.
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Recycling for one year at Stanford University saved the equivalent of 33,913 trees and the need for 636 tons of iron ore, coal, and limestone.
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Less than 1% of electricity in the United States is generated from solar power.
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If every U.S. household turned the thermostat down by 10 degrees for seven hours each night during the cold months, and seven hours each weekday, it would prevent nearly gas emissions.
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82 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. come from burning fossil fuels.
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Washing your clothes in cold or warm instead of hot water saves 500 pounds of carbon dioxide a year, and drying your clothes on a clothesline six months out of the year would save another 700 pounds.
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Nudge your thermostat up two degrees in the summer and down two degrees in the winter to prevent 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere.
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Plastic bags and other plastic garbage thrown into the ocean kill as many as 1,000,000 sea creatures every year.
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States with bottle deposit laws have 35-40% less litter by volume.
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You’ll save two pounds of carbon for every 20 glass bottles that you recycle.
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It takes 6,000,000 trees to make 1 year's worth of tissues for the world.
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In California homes, about 10% of energy usage is related to TVs, DVRs, cable and satellite boxes, and DVD players.
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American workers spend an average of 47 hours per year commuting through rush hour traffic. This adds up to 23 billion gallons of gas wasted in traffic each year.
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In the United States, automobiles produce over 20 percent of total carbon emissions. Walk or bike and you'll save one pound of carbon for every mile you travel.
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You will save 300 pounds of carbon dioxide for every 10,000 miles you drive if you always keep your car’s tires fully inflated.
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A single quart of motor oil, if disposed of improperly, can contaminate up to 2,000,000 gallons of fresh water.


Paints and finishes, according to the EPA, have been considered one of the top five hazards to human health and the environment. Not only do they release hazardous toxins upon use, but they can also continue to release low-level toxic fumes into the air for years after application.These toxic fumes are a result of a variety of VOC's (Volatile Organic Compounds), which are traditionally essential to the performance of the paint. Research shows that there are 300 toxic chemicals and 150 carcinogens potentially present in oil based paint. The fumes from these chemicals can easily accumulate in closed spaces while painting, irritating the eyes, skin and lungs. Fortunately, with a new wave of consumer concern and stricter environmental regulations, many manufacturers have switched their focus to low-VOC and zero-VOC paints and finishes. Although this technology has been around as long as high-VOC and lead-based paints, the eco-friendly paints are easy to use while providing benefits for you and the environment.
Zero VOC-
