What are VOCs in paint, and is more or less of them better?

At my area home center I’m seeing more interior paints whose cans say the finishes have low or no VOCs. What are VOCs and what do the numbers mean?

The seal has definitely been broken on the issue of VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, in paint. You can expect to see more brands touting their virtuous VOC content.

VOCs are solvents that get released into the air as the paint dries. (Other products emit solvents, including adhesives, cleaning supplies, and even some home furnishings.) VOCs can cause acute symptoms, including headaches and dizziness. The long-term effects are less certain, but according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, some VOCs are suspected carcinogens.

The federal government caps the VOC content in paint at 250 grams per liter (g/l) for flat finishes and 380 g/l for other finishes (low-luster, semigloss, etc.). However, some manufacturers have opted to comply with more stringent limits—50 g/l for all finishes—set by California’s South Coast Air Quality Management District. These paints include such products as Benjamin Moore Aura, True Value Easy Care, and Glidden Evermore. In the past, low-VOC paints have performed poorly in our tests, but these products all got high marks in our latest tests of low-luster interior paints; see our Ratings (available to subscribers) for the full details.

(The Ozone Transport Commission, a multistate organization created under the Clean Air Act, also has a model rule that limits flat coatings to 100 g/l and non-flat coatings to 150 g/l. It has been adopted by the District of Columbia and Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia. Any paint sold in these places must be OTC-compliant.)

A handful of paints whose manufacturers claim they contain zero VOCs are now on the market. One is Mythic, which sells for $35 to $45 per gallon at independent dealers nationwide. If you’re a reader of shelter magazines, you’ve probably seen the print ads for Mythic, including the one shown here. Another zero-VOC paint is Freshaire Choice, a Home Depot exclusive that sells for $35 to $38 a gallon. Freshaire has adopted a more wholesome marketing approach: “It’s good for your family, and better for our world.”

The base of other paints might also be free of VOCs, but when any pigment is added at the point of sale, the VOC level climbs as high as 150 g/l, according to ICI Paints, which manufacturers Freshaire Choice. But the makers of Mythic and Freshaire Choice both say that the color pigments used in their finishes contain no VOCs.

Mythic and Freshaire Choice use a VOC-free color additive that is supposed to eliminate not only harmful solvents but also the telltale odor of a freshly painted room, according to their manufacturers. Carl E. Smith, CEO of the Greenguard Environmental Institute, argues that measuring emissions is as important as identifying the VOC level in a paint. “You can have a low count on VOC, but still have high emissions,” says Smith. That’s why Greenguard, which describes itself as an “industry-independent, third-party testing” organization, makes emissions central to its certification process. Currently, Freshaire Choice earns the Greenguard seal, as does Benjamin Moore Aura, whose low-luster and flat paints scored an excellent and a very good overall score, respectively; Mythic has not yet been tested by Greenguard.

Consumer Reports has not yet tested Mythic or Freshaire Choice but both will be considered for our 2009 report of interior paints. We don’t know whether these finishes will endure our typical hiding, fading, and stain resistance tests.

Remember, even though a paint might have low or no VOCs, it doesn’t do you any good if it needs constant touch-ups or reapplying.—Daniel DiClerico

Essential information: If you’re about to tackle a painting project, see our buying guide to interior paint. Also, read this post on avoiding common painting mistakes.

Comments

[Paula Stone]

Your "print this page" is awful! I clicked it and it printed 3 pages....two almost blank and the one I wanted about VOC paints.

The page I wanted had lots of wasted space and so the text was cramped and tiny.....very annoying!

Probably many people print your articles; you should make an effort to make them efficent in paper use and easy to read.

[Ave]

My youngest daughter (age 2) seems to be very sensitive to the VOC in paints. The day the exterior doors were painted with Porter exterior paint, she had trouble breathing that evening and night. We need to do some painting inside -- trim and walls but need good information on paints that are suitable for people with asthma and other respiratory problems.

[painting company]

does it affect the quality of paint?

[expecting mom]

I just finished painting my new nursery with home
depot freshair low voc paint. the quality is excellent.
I also used it on the ceiling(white). No problems, almost no
fumes. Washing up is great as well. I used the eggshell finish
w/ a slight sheen. Easy to wash marks off the walls. I would highly recommend this paint. I was also able to help paint
with a mask, since I am 7 1/2 months pregnant.

[Mom of a sensitive child]

My 4 year old daughter had persistent sinus problems for a couple of years. She was perpetually congested and coughing, which didn't let her get much sleep at night). In an effort to help her get better, my husband and I have gradually moved to using non toxic alternatives to conventional home products in our house including cleaners, flooring, bedding and paint. The paint we use is Safecoat made by AFM Safecoat (afmsafecoat.com). This paint line has been a blessing and I am never going back to conventional paints. It has no smell and is safe to use around children. Safecoat's line has flat, eggshell and semi gloss paint in several bases. Their colorants are zero VOC and the local store where we buy it would match any large paint manufacturer's colors in addition to their own. Safecoat also makes zero and low VOC trim and door enamel, exterior paint and a couple of primers. Our daughter's health has improved since we made those changes, so to us these products are well worth it.

We would be interested to see Safecoat's paints and primers added to Consumer Reports Ratings and see how they stack up compared to the other zero and low VOC paints on the market.

[KB]

I have been told by a painter that higher VOC paint is more expensive and is higher quality in that it lasts longer, fewer touch ups. Is this true? We are staining our home and trying to pick a brand of stain that will last long.

[EasyEcoBlog.com]

We used no voc Yolo colorhouse paint not long ago. Quality was decent and no need for many extra coats.

The nice part was a large eco friendly swatch with actual paint you can buy at the store and reuse for gift wrap. No need for wasteful small sample pints.

A lot less fumes. Even the painters said they wished more people would use paint like this.

I would like to see it be reviewed for durability.