No VOC vs VOC Paint

The paint industry is well known for its production and use of toxic chemicals, this includes anything oil based and water based. These substances are commonly known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

As environmentalism becomes increasingly popular, so does the awareness of the risks associated with these chemicals. Consumers are on the lookout for safer alternatives which has led to the introduction of no VOC and low VOC paints. In this article we are going to discuss no VOC paint VS VOC paint to share the risks of volatile organic compounds and the benefits of switching to a no VOC alternative.

What is meant by no VOC?

Low and no VOC paint is paint that contains minimal levels of volatile organic compounds than traditional wall paints. These compounds include a variety of solvents such as benzene, hexane, toluene and more. As you can imagine, these chemicals are not just bad for the environment, they are bad for our health too. 

It is important to note that even when every effort is put into removing the VOCs in paints, there will still be traces that manage to sneak their way in. This means that although some paint brands label their products as ‘no VOC’ or ‘zero VOC’, according to the British Coatings Federation, this cannot be entirely true. In order to avoid misleading our customers, here at Victory Colours we are open about the fact that although our products contain ultra low levels of VOC which is due to our specially engineered formula, replacement of materials and purification process, there will always be traces in the final product. Under the EU Directive 2010 the limit of VOC allowed is 30gms per litre of VO, so that is 75gms per 2.5l tin!  Whereas Victory Colours interior emulsion has less that 1gms per litre which is considerably lower than standard paints.

What are the benefits of no VOC paint?

Now we have covered what exactly no VOC paint is, we wanted to delve further into the advantages of using it. Although many people are aware that these chemicals are bad, often, people don’t realise the full risks of volatile organic compounds. For example, when you smell fresh paint, you are in fact smelling and inhaling VOCs. What many people don’t realise is that after that fresh paint smell disappears, the VOCs don’t. This means that you may be inhaling these chemicals long after the paint dries. Here are some of the benefits of using Victory Colours low VOC paint:

• Ultra low odour
• It is as safe as possible for humans and animals
• Cruelty free
• Environmentally friendly
• Washable and wipeable
• Great opacity
• Durable

What are the risks and disadvantages of VOC paint

As we have already discussed, there are a whole range of benefits of using low or no VOC paints. This leads us onto the next point of the risks of using VOC paints. Firstly, we want to highlight the disadvantages to your health that VOCs can cause. VOCs are also found in car exhaust fumes, cleaning products and glues. It is clear that car fumes are not good for anyone, plus they are damaging to the environment, so why is there not as much awareness when it comes to paint? Here are the risks and disadvantages of using VOC paint:

• Irritation to the eyes, nose and throat, particularly for those with asthma and sinus issues.
• Nasty odours
• Pollutant
• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Nausea 

Summary of no VOC paint VS VOC paint

We hope this article has shed some light on the risks of VOC paint and why you should consider switching to a no or low VOC paint alternative like the ones sold by us here at Victory Colours. You can find out more about low VOC paints, non toxic paints, vegan paints and more in our blog. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact our friendly team. For anyone who has used Victory Colours eco friendly paint, we’d love to hear from you and see your results so tag us in your Victory Colours paint results on our social media channels.