Eco Friendly paints for healthy homes
October 23, 2008 // Posted by: admin // Category: Color Interiors, Home Care, Home Decor, Home Safety
Paints are a cheap and easy way to beautify a house. It gives the house a fresh and new look. But how many of us are really aware that paints can be harmful too? Some paints pose danger to both human health and environment. Different colors can emit volatile organic compounds that can increase the level of lead content in the blood. Children are affected the most by exposure to lead contamination. With regard to this, therefore, it is essential to understand how some pains can impact our health and eco-friendly alternative in paints.
What are paints?
Most paints are a mixture of various metals and compounds used as pigments or additives. They have been found to contain organic solvents, cadmium, chromium, mercury and lead. Usually, paints fall under two categories – water based latex paints and solvent or oil based paints. The former is more popular and offers superior resistance to fading, blistering, peeling and chalking. They are also more environmentally friendly.
Eco Friendly paints
These paints are made from non toxic elements. They come with zero volatile organic content and have virtually no odor. Its composition is low/non toxic ingredients, derivatives from plants, natural raw material, and mineral. It is free from lead.
Volatile organic compounds or VOC, when released into the atmosphere, can trigger detrimental consequences like ozone layer depletion, smog, and also global warming over a period of time. Green paints are a solution to combat the ill-effects of paints that contain lead.
Precautions
If your freshly painted walls emit a pungent odor, fumes and vapor or cause discomfort, leave the room well ventilated and stay away from the house till the paint dries up completely. While removing older lead-based paints, keep children and pregnant women away from the work site. Once paints are removed, vacuum and clean the area well with water.