With global warming awareness increasingly gaining momentum in many parts of the world, most Americans are adopting more environmentally friendly lifestyles to mitigate the effects of this phenomenon.
In this regard, many homeowners in America have ditched VOC paints for more environmentally conscious alternatives, rightly called eco-friendly paints. Homeowners across the country use these paints on walls, ceilings, and floors; mostly as anti slip floor paints.
If you’re not yet familiar with eco-friendly paints, this piece will give you the low down on all you need to know including, what sets them apart from conventional paints, the benefits of eco-friendly paints and where to get them.
What are Eco-Friendly Paints?
To properly discuss what eco-friendly paints are, first you have to get acquainted with a term called VOC. VOC is short for Volatile Organic Compounds; these are organic compounds that are naturally produced or human-made and can be harmful to both animals and plants.
VOCs form a primary ingredient in most commercial paints, varnish, coatings, and some solvents. When you apply these substances on a surface, they dry up, and the VOCs evaporate into the air. When humans and animals inhale these VOCs, they may become dizzy, disoriented, or suffer from nausea. In severe cases, too much of VOCs can cause respiratory complications or even cancer.
The same VOCs greatly reduce the air quality and interferes with plants’ respiration process. What’s more, the volatile substances can hang around the air for more than five years before decomposing. For these reasons, government regulations have limited or prohibited the use of VOCs in paints and other finishes, especially in places that house children and pregnant women. It is also the best paint for baby crib.
Eco-friendly paints do away with VOCs by substituting synthetic oil ingredients for naturally occurring substances like clay, chalk and linseed oil. The paints are, therefore, suitable for indoor use, even in places without proper ventilation. This attribute makes them a preferred choice for pregnant moms keen on avoiding polyurethane fumes, people with respiratory complications, environmentally conscious individuals, and families across the country. Certain organizations like the Health Product Declaration Collaborative (HPDC) and International Living Futures have advocated for the use of eco-friendly paints such as anti slip floor paint.
Types of Eco-Friendly Paints
Eco-friendly paints can be broadly categorized into two types; low VOC eco-friendly paint and no VOC eco- friendly paint. While the latter may have traces of VOC, No VOC paints have extremely little to no VOCs at all.
For a manufacturer’s paint to qualify as a low VOC paint, the product has to go through a thorough screening process conducted by EPA where they measure the concentration of VOC in the paint. Low VOC paints must have less than 50 grams of VOC per liter of paint produced. No VOC paints, on the other hand, must have less than 5 grams of VOC per liter, since the tests’ measurement capabilities terminate at 5 grams.
Benefits of Eco-Friendly Paints
1. Minimal impact on the environment- Since eco-friendly paints use naturally occurring components, they don’t leave any environmental footprint or affect the quality of the surrounding air.
2. Less Odor- eco-friendly paints are great for people highly sensitive to smell since they don’t have an intense and overpowering smell like normal paints.
3. Versatile- Eco-friendly paints have a variety of uses. They also come on many forms, including anti slip floor paint, exterior floor paint and wall paint, to name a few.
4. Non-toxic- the natural ingredients used to make eco-friendly paints can be inhaled without doing any damage to your body.
Where to Buy Eco-Friendly Paints
Eco-friendly paints such as anti slip floor paint are readily available in hardware stores and outlets all over America. You can also find some great deals online from sellers who are campaigning for greener lifestyles. You can also buy them from factory outlets to save you even more money.
Finally, remember that every eco-friendly paint you purchase is standardized by EPA or any other government authority as low VOC or no VOC. There are plenty of swindlers willing to make a quick buck at the expense of you and your family’s health.