For individuals working in the manufacturing industries, contact with volatile organic compounds \u2013 also known as VOCs \u2013 can be a daily occurrence. From lacquers and paint strippers to cleaning solvents and glues \u2013 all of these materials release organic compounds during use, and to some degree, can still linger in consumers\u2019 homes when used on interior walls and surfaces.<\/p>\n
Thankfully, with growing calls in the industry to improve VOCs found in these products and new legislation introduced in recent years, we are seeing manufacturers make a move in the right direction.<\/p>\n
With this in mind, Redwood Innovation\u2019s technical department outline some of their key considerations when looking for a truly \u2018low-VOC\u2019 or \u2018eco-friendly\u2019 product:<\/p>\n
Consideration 1: The ingredients<\/strong><\/p>\n To determine if a product is truly \u2018low-VOC\u2019 any manufacturer should be able to provide evidence of the ingredients they use. This should be displayed on the paint pots, data sheets or available upon request from the company. All our Hesse Lignal coatings having their ingredients clearly labelled and VOC percentages can be found both online and on every product data sheet.<\/p>\n Generally speaking, water-based products are environmentally preferable, and they continue to be improved, both in terms of better performance and lower emissions. We stock a number of Hesse water-based coatings, which you can learn more about here.<\/p>\n Solvent-based products are often the worst offenders, which include toxic and polluting ingredients such as toluene and xylene and carcinogens such as arsenic, beryllium, and cadmium \u2013 so where possible, avoid these ingredients if you want to reduce your emissions.<\/p>\n