For one eco-friendly paint, it's apparently not so easy being green

"We didn't consider this. More and more, you make a decision that's good for the environment, but there are results that you don't expect. The cities will have to issue a (recycling) directive on this."—Mario Clermont, General Manager, Société Laurentide Inc.

That quote—referring to a plastic-and-metal paint bucket used for Canadian paint brand Boomerang—jumped out at me from "Eco-Paint Container Isn't That Green," an engaging read by Ellen Moorhouse, who writes the Trash Talk column for The Toronto Star.

Moorhouse's story details some of the problems associated with being green (in an environmentally aware way, not as Kermit the Frog bemoaned about his color): Boomerang is made from recycled paint—does the name make sense now?— but the manufacturer recently switched to a black plastic (polypropylene) bucket with a metal handle. Problem is, according to Moorhouse, empty steel paint cans are accepted by municipal recycling programs in Ontario but plastic pails aren't yet. Read the rest of Moorhouse's article.

As for greener paints themselves, knowing which finishes have the lowest level of volatile organic compounds isn't a cinch either, as we found for our March 2009 report on interior paints. Our tests uncovered some surprising information on the VOC levels touted by paint makers and what's in the can.—Steven H. Saltzman | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Read our coverage of the statewide recycled-paint program in Oregon and efforts to establish paint recycling in Minnesota.

Q&A: Why are some of the Kilz exterior paints you tested no longer in stores?

I referred to your magazine and ConsumerReports.org when shopping for exterior paint, but at my local Walmart I can't find the Kilz Exterior Semigloss paint from your June 2009 ratings. What happened to it, and do you recommend the Kilz Casual Colors I saw at Walmart?

Manufacturers frequently change the formulation of their paints and stains for a number of reasons, including to improve performance, lower production costs, or meet updated environmental standards, as we covered in our March 2009 report on interior paints.

The Kilz Exterior Semigloss paint we tested is no longer available at Walmart, exclusive retailer of the brand, because Kilz recently discontinued the satin and semigloss versions of its interior and exterior products. The company has replaced those paints with the multipurpose interior/exterior Kilz Casual Colors paints you saw in the store. For more information, read our June 2009 report on exterior paints and stains and see our ratings of exterior paints and stains (available to subscribers).

Although Kilz products have generally performed well in our past tests, we can't predict the performance of these new finishes. We plan to test the interior- and exterior-use versions of the new Kilz Casual Colors this year. Given our test cycle, we won't have initial results on the performance of the exterior paint until 2011 but should have initial results for interior paint by March 2010.

Among alternatives to the Kilz semigloss paint to consider for exterior application are the Kelly-Moore Acry-Shield Semigloss ($37 per gallon), available in the Southwest, and the Valspar Ultra Premium Semigloss ($26), sold at Lowe's nationwide. And while testing is not complete, the Behr Premium Plus Semigloss ($26), sold at Home Depot, and the Ace Royal Shield Semigloss ($25) look very promising after the equivalent of six years of use.—Ed Perratore | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Visit our paints page for details on specialty paints, tools you'll need for your project, and tips on avoiding common painting mistakes.

EPA proposes tougher lead-paint rules

In conjunction with last week's National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed changes to the 2008 Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting Program.

Contractors renovating, repairing, or painting homes built before 1978 would be required to be trained and certified in and follow lead-safe practices, including minimizing dust, containing the work area, and conducting a thorough cleanup to reduce the potential exposure associated with disturbing lead-based paint. So contractors would no longer be able to opt out of these practices if a homeowner certifies that there are no children under the age of six or pregnant women living in the home.

"This proposed rule will further increase protections for children and their families from lead-based-paint hazards associated with home renovation and repair," said Steve Owens, assistant administrator for the EPA's Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances, in a press release. "The administration is demonstrating its continued commitment to eliminating childhood lead poisoning and strengthening lead poisoning-prevention efforts."

While lead-based paints in homes were banned in 1978, many homes built before then probably have some lead paint. The new rule is intended to help protect older children and adults from exposure to lead, which can cause brain damage and diminished mental and physical development. It should also ensure that families with young children who purchase a recently renovated home aren't exposed to lead-dust hazards.

Another proposed change would require contractors to provide information demonstrating that they complied with lead-safe training and work practices to homeowners when a final invoice is delivered or within 30 days of completion of the renovation, whichever is earlier.

In a related action, the EPA has also proposed lowering lead-hazard standards in lead dust and modifying its definition of lead-based paint. The new standard would be 10 micrograms or less of lead per square foot for floors and 100 micrograms or less for windowsills, down from 40 micrograms 250 micrograms, respectively. Also, paint in existing structures with levels of 600 parts per million (0.06 percent by weight) would be considered lead-based paint. The current level is 5,000 ppm (0.5 percent) or 1 milligram per square centimeter.—Celia Kuperszmid Lehrman | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: If you're concerned about the presence of lead in your home, read our report on home-use lead test kits. If you discover elevated levels of lead, hire a certified lead inspector or risk assessor. If you're planning to paint or renovate your home yourself, follow the EPA's safe-work guidelines. When you're finally ready to paint, be sure to use the best finishes, like those covered in our latest report on interior paints.

Q&A: How can I tell a water-based paint from an oil-based one?

I've read that water-based paints are easier to clean up than oil-based finishes. How do I know whether I'm buying a water-based or an oil-based paint?

About 80 percent of paint sold today is water-based; the rest is oil-based. Oil-based paint is considered more hazardous than water-based paint because the solvents used to make it are toxic and flammable. Note that you can recycle both types.

Water-based paint often has the word "latex" as part of the product name. Ingredients include water and ethylene or propylene glycol. Water is indicated for cleanup.

Oil-based paint often has the word "alkyd" as part of the product name, and the label will indicate "caution" and "flammable" or "combustible." Ingredients include petroleum distillates or mineral spirits. Cleanup method indicates the use of paint thinner, mineral spirits, or turpentine.

Essential information: Fall is a great time to tackle interior-painting projects. If you're painting rooms inside your home, read our latest report on interior paints (article and ratings available to subscribers) and visit our paints page for details on specialty paints, tools you'll need for your project, and tips on avoiding common painting mistakes.

Forum Friday: Consumer Reports readers debate the best paint types

Painting’s a hot project, based on projections for recession-defying sales and an ever-expanding proliferation of new colors. It’s also a hot topic, as evidenced by the many discussions in our paints and stains forum.

Our ratings of interior and exterior paints and deck stains (available to subscribers) always spark discussions over the best brand of paint (Behr has its share of backers and detractors) or a debate over two specific brands (in this case, Valspar vs. Benjamin Moore).

Whichever brand you use, follow this pro painter’s surface-preparation tips (we’ve got more of our own here and in the video at right). Keep in mind this mixing trick from forums moderator Angelo Mannino, and don’t miss his warning on painting over stain.

Other posters have added valuable warnings on VOCs paints (unfortunately, one mentioned brand did badly in our tests—see our report on safer paints here) and the need to check whether paint is suitable for spraying. e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Product Preview: Behr Premium Plus Ultra interior paints

A self-priming paint can save you time and money, especially when you're painting surfaces that require a primer coat for optimal coverage and adhesion, including drywall and glossy cabinets. Behr recently debuted the self-priming Premium Plus Ultra line of interior paints, which should be in Home Depot stores by mid-July. Available in low-luster (satin/eggshell), flat (interior/exterior), and semigloss finishes, the paints will sell for $31 to $34 per gallon.

We haven't tested the Premium Plus Ultra products, but in our latest report on interior paints (ratings available to subscribers) Behr's Premium Plus Enamel was the top-rated low-luster and flat finish and the number four semigloss.

Behr claims the Premium Plus Ultra paints are all low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs), with fewer than 50 grams per liter. Our tests have shown that some paints with lower claimed levels of VOCs don't perform as well, which is why Behr took longer than other manufacturers to roll out a low-VOC product. "We wanted to make sure the technology was there," says Tom Lee, vice president of marketing for Behr.

Behr says the Premium Plus Ultra paints provide superior hiding thanks to advanced colorant technology. The finishes are also supposed to resist moisture, stains, dirt, and mildew. We'll test those claims as part of our next report on interior paints.

We have tested the self-priming Benjamin Moore Aura in a low-luster finish. This claimed-low-VOC product scored very good to excellent in most test categories. At $57 per gallon, it also has a top-tier price to go with its strong performance in our tests.—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: No paint, no matter how good, can make up for poor prep work or sloppy application. Ensure a smooth finish by avoiding these common painting mistakes.

NAD rules on Valspar's challenge to Mythic Paint

Since being launched in 2001 by Southern Diversified Products, Mythic Paint has highlighted the eco-friendliness of its finishes in ads, on packaging, and in marketing materials. The slogan "Safe for People, Safe for Pets, Safe for Earth" appears on its paint cans, and the company's Web site features the statement that "Mythic Paint is a non-toxic, ultra low odor paint that provides the durability and coverage you expect from a premium paint without the off-gassing VOC's and cancer-causing toxins that emit years after drying."

Following a challenge brought by paint maker Valspar, the National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus found (PDF) that Mythic provided a reasonable basis for those safety and ingredient claims. The NAD did, however, recommend that Mythic's promotional language include clear and conspicuous disclosure of the fact that non-Mythic colorants that might get mixed in by retailers at the point of sale can contain VOCs, or volatile organic compounds.

This recommendation echoes some key findings from our March 2009 report on interior paints. As part of that investigation, we measured the VOC content of finishes that makers maintain have no VOCs and several high scorers from our tests that were marketed with no special claims. We detected VOCs in every paint, including Mythic flat, low-luster, and semigloss finishes.

One reason that claimed no-VOC paints actually have VOCs is because the tints added to untinted bases at the point of purchase can contain VOCs; none of the paints we tested exceeded any applicable government VOC limits. In the case of Mythic, the NAD ruled that any trace amounts of VOC were within the "de minimis" threshold of 5 grams per liter, meaning the paints can be classified as zero-VOC.

The NAD expressed concern over Mythic's claims about higher-VOC paints made by other manufacturers. In particular, the NAD described Mythic's statement that the "toxicity and danger posed by traditional paints is little known among the general population" and that these paints "adversely [affect] air quality inducing depletion of the ozone layer, global warming and the rise of respiratory illness" as "unnecessarily and inaccurately alarmist." While our March 2009 report concluded that "less is always better" when it comes to VOCs, we also acknowledged that the difference between paints with, say, a VOC level of 35 grams per liter and those with two or three times that amount is hard to quantify.

The NAD's final ruling concerned Mythic's claim that it is "the only zero-VOC, zero-carcinogenic, premium quality line of latex paints available." The NAD found that Mythic Paint "provided a reasonable basis for the claim that its product is 'premium' paint" but did not adequately establish that it's the only one of its kind.

The three Mythic paints we tested were all very good overall, though several claimed low-VOC products performed better. In particular, the Mythics faded faster than other claimed low-VOC paints. Among claimed zero-VOC paints, Mythic was the best low-luster product, but trailed Olympic Premium among flat finishes, and Olympic Premium and Freshaire Choice among semigloss finishes.—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter

Essential information: Read about the EPA's response to our call for updated VOC regulations and test methods.

Q&A: Are kitchen and bath paints better than regular paints?

I'm going to be painting my kitchen and a bathroom. Is it really necessary to use paints designed for these rooms?

Probably not. We tested Behr, Olympic, and Valspar paints specifically designed for use in the kitchen and bathroom as well as standard semigloss finishes from the same manufacturers. (Semigloss is the closest sheen to the kitchen and bath paints.)

While all three kitchen and bathroom paints performed well in our tests, they weren't better at resisting stains or holding up to scrubbing than our top-performing interior paints. Plus, the satin version of the regular Behr paint was better at hiding in one-coat and didn't show signs of gloss change when cleaned as much as its kitchen and bath version.

Kitchen and bathroom paints did an excellent job resisting mildew, but the regular paints proved very good at mildew resistance. So unless your kitchen or bathroom is particularly humid, stick with the standard paint and save yourself a couple of bucks per gallon.

Essential information: Use the right paint roller, brushes, and tools to get a professional-looking job on your next painting project. If you're feeling a bit more artistic, learn about specialty paints, including chalkboard, metallic, and faux finishes.

Olestra's cousin being considered as a paint additive

Olestra, the Procter & Gamble fat substitute, shot to prominence in the late 1990s with the promise of zero-fat-but-full-taste snack foods. The product also became known for the unusual gastrointestinal problems attributed to it.

P&G still produces olestra under the brand name Olean for use in low-calorie snack foods, including "light" versions of Lays, Pringles, and Ruffles. The P&G Chemicals division has developed an olestra-like chemical called Sefose, another product that uses ester technology and the same basic ingredients of sugar and vegetable oil. P&G claims Sefose be used in the production of paints and lubricants. (This story was first reported by Scientific American.)

P&G Chemicals describes Sefose as "a cost competitive sustainable alternative to petrochemicals" with "low viscosity, no VOCs, excellent film properties, and compatibility with coating resins."

We're keenly interested in the environmental impact of paints, as we covered in our March 2009 report on interior finishes and in this follow-up item on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's response to our article. We'll continue to follow the story surrounding Sefose, which P&G hopes causes it less agita than olestra must have at one time.—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter

Oregon considers statewide paint-recycling program

House Bill 3037 in Oregon would require manufacturers to establish a statewide paint-recycling program. The National Paint & Coatings Association has lobbied for this product-stewardship legislation, contending that rules are needed for paint-collection programs to succeed, not just voluntary efforts by companies or communities.

If the Oregon bill is enacted, manufacturers would have until September 1, 2010, to start a paint-recycling pilot program; on September 1, 2011, they would be required to submit a report detailing program results, including how much paint was recycled and at what cost to consumers. (November 2009 update: Oregon's paint-stewardship law was signed last summer. Read details on the Web site of the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality.)

The proposed legislation is similar to a bill in the Minnesota state senate. Read "Minnesota Bill Would Require Manufacturers to Set Up Paint-Recycling Program" for more details.

The Portland, Oregon, metropolitan area already has one of the largest and longest-standing paint-recycling programs in the country. It's been run since 1991 by Metro, an elected government agency devoted to conservation and environmental issues.

Paint accounts for 40 percent of the hazardous household materials collected by Metro. Portland residents drop off leftover coatings at designated transfer stations or turn them in during one of several annual round-up campaigns. Oil-based paints are sent to cement kilns, where they're used to make cement. Latex paints go to a recycling facility in north Portland, where they're mixed with like colors, filtered of impurities, and repackaged. The recycled paint, available in 15 colors (shown), is sold at MetroPaint retail outlets throughout the state and a few other stores in Oregon and Washington for $6 to $10 for a 1-gallon container and $24 to $44 for a 5-gallon pail. (Read our March 2009 report on interior paints. And visit our paint hub for information on interior and exterior finishes.)

"Homeowners are our biggest customers," says Jim Quinn, manager of Metro's hazardous-waste program. "Our paint has been sold to over 70,000 customers to date and we've received very little in the way of complaints," says Quinn. Still, the inexpensive paint hasn't flown off the shelf as expected, according to Quinn, something he attributes in part to the perception that recycled paint is an inferior product.

To try to boost sales, Metro has introduced a class of paint certified by Green Seal, a third-party testing body that includes performance in its overall evaluation of finishes. To earn that certification, materials must meet standards set by the Master Painters Institute.—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter

Essential information: Learn how to properly handle and dispose of leftover paint. If you want to store paint, say for future jobs or touch-ups, follow this advice: Cover the opening with plastic wrap; make sure the lid fits securely so the paint doesn't leak. Then store the paint can upside down to create a tight seal around the lid. This will keep the paint fresh until you use it again.