Effects of chemical paints
Studies have shown that the indoor environment is now up to ten times more polluted than the external environment. Yet we spend up to 80% of our lives inside buildings, where up to 90% of the internal surface area can be covered with some type of synthetic petrochemical covering.
Toxic for our planet too
- VOCs (found in most conventional paints) are a major contributor to low level atmospheric pollution and the use of these compounds leads to global warming
- Most houses in the UK have 60 times more VOC’s inside than outside due to vinyl carpets and paints
- The world-wide manufacture of synthetic paints produces as much pollution as do all vehicles exhausts globally.
- Most of the ingredients used in synthetic paint are derived from crude oil which is non-renewable and hence un-sustainable. Synthetic paint is extremely wasteful, for one tonne of paint, 10 tonnes of toxic waste is created. Disposal of this toxic waste is potentially dangerous and damaging to wildlife if disposed of in landfill or water systems.
Did you know?
Most modern synthetic paint is a chemical cocktail and is likely to be one of the most toxic and environmentally damaging materials we willingly introduce into our homes Many of the materials that are found in modern paints such as petrochemicals, solvents, mercury, formaldehyde, benzenes, de-foamers, stabilisers and preservatives are seriously damaging our health.
Bad for our health
Many of these ingredients are harmful because they off-gas dangerous Volatile Organic Compounds ( VOC’s ) into the atmosphere, affecting the health of people and the planet. Dangerous VOC’s can produce a number of physical problems such as: eye and skin irritation, lung and breathing problems, allergies, headaches, nausea, muscle weakness and liver damage. The elderly, children, asthmatics and people with chemical sensitivities are especially vulnerable. VOC’s are consistently ten times higher indoors than outdoors, with numbers rising to 1,000 times higher after a new coat of modern paint, this leads on to sick building syndrome, whereby the off gassing of toxic ingredients continues for some time after the paint is applied.
