Why Low Voc paint?

Breathe deeply… Smells good, right? For some people, the smell of a fresh painted wall can compare with the delight of smelling fresh cut grass. Yet, are the colors you used really safe for you and the environment?

What are the Volatile organic compounds (VOC)

Volatile organic compounds (VOC) are organic chemicals that have a high vapor pressure at ordinary, room-temperature conditions. Volatile organic compounds include both human-made and naturally occurring chemical compounds. Most scents or odors are of VOCs. VOCs also play an important role in communication between plants. Some VOCs are dangerous to human health or cause harm to the environment, like increasing the concentration of ozone in the atmosphere or polluting the aquifer.

What are Low VOC paints?

According to Directive 2004/42/EC of the European Union regarding the αναφορικά με τις Volatile organic compounds, Paint and Vernish Industry is bound to produce their products with low concentration in VOC and the product labels must bear the appropriate signs that indicates the category of the product.

So, Low VOC paints are those paints that contain reduced concentration of Volatile organic compounds, therefore they are safer for the user and the environment.

Demand Low VOC paints

Demand and prefer Low VOC paints for your house. They are healthier, safer for the environment and have no drawbacks when compared to the old-type paints.

Solvents and volatile organic compounds

Paint is typically made of three major components:

• Pigment: gives the paint its color
• Binders: also known as the vehicle or medium, binders help the pigment stick to the applied surface.
• Solvents: sometimes called carrier or thinner, keep the paint in liquid form, making it easier to apply.

Of these three components, the solvents contribute the most to the paint’s level of VOCs. That’s because the solvent (a liquid) is designed to evaporate quickly, leaving only the pigment and its binder (the solids) behind on your walls. Paints with a greater percentage of solids typically leave more pigment behind, thus requiring fewer applications.Solvents tend to be either oil-based (high VOC content) or water-based (low or no VOC content). Latex paint, which has lower VOC levels and is generally more environmentally friendly than oil-based paints, uses water-based solvents.

Are the Low VOC paints by Alcon Paint safer for the user and the environment?

The Low VOC Paints and coatings by Alcon Paint have been designed to have less solvents, therefore the are safer and friendly to both the environment and the consumer.