| Thinking of painting your house or doing a spot of | | | | solvent evaporates and leaves the dried paint on |
| DIY? Well I was and I was searching the net | | | | the surface. This process is the same with all |
| looking for a good deal and I came across organic | | | | paints. |
| and eco paints. | | | | But as the paint begins to dry, components called |
| My first thought was how can paint be organic? | | | | volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are released |
| Isnt that for vegetables? | | | | into the air causing toxic air pollution (that nasty |
| | | | smell) and increasing your chances of becoming |
| I did some more research and found that the | | | | chemically sensitive. These and other chemical |
| term organic can be a highly misleading term | | | | compounds can cause chest complaints, |
| when applied to paint so many companies dont | | | | aggravate allergies, contribute to the greenhouse |
| use it and tend to use the term eco or natural | | | | effect and pollute the environment. |
| instead. Unlike the food and textile industry, there | | | | Most paint manufacturers set out to make a paint |
| is currently no legally defined standard or | | | | that is non toxic and doesnt give off VOCs so it |
| recognised certification scheme in place for | | | | will be a safe paint for humans as well as |
| organic paints just like soap pods (what are soap | | | | environmentally safe. Unfortunately, research has |
| pods I hear you ask?). | | | | found that most organic paints and components |
| It is possible for some organically grown plants to | | | | release VOCs. |
| be utilised in the manufacture of some of the | | | | The vital difference between conventional paint |
| natural paints and to obtain organic pigments from | | | | and eco/natural paints lies in using as many eco |
| some plants and insects, but these are not ideally | | | | friendly and natural ingredients as possible as |
| suited to use in paint because they tend to fade. | | | | pigments, binding agents and solvents. |
| It has been found that ingredients such as the | | | | |
| solvents, acrylics and acrylic softeners used in | | | | People should also look to buy paints made in their |
| most conventional paints are hazardous both to | | | | own country as not only does it reduce the |
| health and the environment as paints consist | | | | pollution caused by the transport of the end |
| essentially of pigments (the colourant), the binding | | | | products and sometimes the raw materials, it also |
| agent (which binds the colourant to the surface) | | | | supports a more local approach to buying goods |
| and of solvents, (which keep the paint in | | | | and services. |
| suspension until applied). As the paint dries the | | | | |