What VOCs on varnish and paint labels mean and how their emissions affect us

Those who are in the habit of perusing the labels of paint cans, household cleaning products, even cosmetics will almost always find references to VOCs (or VOCs, if the label is not in English). It is not a specific product but a large group of chemicals, especially solvents, which have attracted the attention of authorities (and others) around the world because of their impact on the environment and quality of life. VOC is short for volatile organic compounds. Concern about the presence of these products in the air we breathe, in the atmosphere that surrounds the earth, has been around for some time. Regulations, bans and restrictions on their presence in industrial and consumer products have emerged.

What are volatile organic compounds VOCs

Volatile organic compounds are a very broad class of products. Physico-chemically they are organic chemicals that have high vapor pressure and low boiling point so they evaporate easily. Not all of these products are hazardous to the body or the environment and therefore each country has a list of products that are considered hazardous and their emission is limited. Among them are benzene, toluene, xylene, ethyl alcohol, formaldehyde. Most of these substances are used as solvents for resins, oils, waxes, in different industries. That is why they are taken together and the limitation is imposed on all substances in a product that evaporate (all the solvent in a paint or cleaning product).

Emissions affect both our living space, the inside of our homes, and the environment. The interiors of homes are affected by solvent emissions from paints, cleaning and maintenance products, even some cosmetic products. The accumulation of these emissions in enclosed spaces can lead to headaches and breathing problems. If there are health problems - allergies, asthma or respiratory problems - they can be aggravated by the presence of VOC emissions. When using products with a high solvent content, it is best not to use them in enclosed spaces, and if you have to, ventilate the room thoroughly during and after work.

If we think about the environmental impact, the problem becomes even more serious. Decades of industrial development in which nobody has taken all these emissions into account have led to environmental damage and holes in the ozone layer. That is why regulations in highly industrialized countries are becoming more and more drastic.

VOCs worldwide

Despite the common general opinion that emissions affect the environment, not all countries have the same regulations and the list of products considered VOCs is different. Even their definition is different. The USA, Canada and China consider any product that participates in atmospheric photochemical reactions to be a volatile organic compound. While Canada considers all gaseous organics to participate in such reactions, the US excludes carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, carbonic acid and other derivatives, for which it has special regulations. The US has a list of products with a state emission limit, but there are also lists at Member State level. Japan considers volatile organic compounds to be all gaseous chemicals that are released into the atmosphere.

The European Community considers a volatile organic compound to be any organic product having a boiling point less than or equal to 250°C measured at a standard pressure of 101.3 kPa, i.e. all solvents used in the manufacture of varnishes, paints, varnishes, varnishes or thinners (solvent-based products). But they are not only used in the production of varnishes and paints. They are found in many cleaning, cosmetic and maintenance products.

Prime Directive emission limits for VOCs came into force in the European Community in 1999, 4 years after the California Air Resources Board first reported the problem in September 1995. Since then, others have emerged that increasingly tighten the limits, restricting the use of products using organic solvents.

VOC emissions in industry

In the run-up to Romania's entry into the European Community, the hot topic was the need to reduce VOC emissions by 70%. We needed to comply with the EC rules, and Directive 2004/42/EC on limiting VOC emissions caused by the use of organic solvents in paints, varnishes and car refinishing products imposed clear rules. This requirement posed great difficulties for furniture manufacturers who, in the vast majority of cases, were working with organic solvent-based materials, emitting very high solvent emissions. Since then, some time has passed and factories have upgraded or replaced many of the varnishes they use in order to meet the limits and avoid environmental fines. Emissions calculations have become commonplace and I don't think there is a large factory working with solvent-based products that doesn't report.

Reducing emissions of volatile organic compounds can be done in two ways:

• use of equipment for combustion or absorption of volatile organic compounds;
• replacing solvent-based materials with more environmentally friendly ones.

VOC reduction by combustion is achieved by a chemical process that converts these substances into products that can be released into the environment, i.e. water and carbon dioxide. The process is a final destruction process and is mainly used when the substances can no longer be recovered, either because of the complexity of the technology or its cost. The advantage of the process is that it develops a usable amount of heat.

Reducing VOCs by adsorption is based on absorption on activated carbon filters. It is used when VOC recovery is desired or when other treatments are more costly. Activated carbon is a microporous material, of mineral or vegetable origin, characterized by a very large specific surface area, capable of selectively trapping a wide range of molecules. But after some time, the carbon becomes saturated, no longer effective and needs to be regenerated or replaced.

To avoid the costs of such installations, solvent-based products can be replaced by water-based ones. This is why water soluble products are increasingly on the shelves of the specialist firms and are frequently found in DIY stores. Another reason is that EC regulations include one that obliges varnish and paint manufacturers to reduce the percentage of solvent-based products they make each year, with a corresponding increase in the percentage of waterborne products.

VOCs in our daily lives and how they affect us

Although the big problem is the VOC emissions coming from industry, we should not neglect the emissions from the private space either, especially as we sometimes feel it immediately. The sources of VOCs are not just paints, furniture or flooring finished with solvent-based products. Sometimes it is also household maintenance products, cosmetics, air fresheners and adhesives. We never think that they might contain substances that affect us and we should be more careful about what it says on the label.

Unfortunately there are no regulations on emission limits for volatile organic compounds inside the home. There are devices that can detect VOC and formaldehyde emissions. They can alert you if certain limits are exceeded. The regulations relate to VOC content and the requirement that information on content and first aid measures must be on product labels or safety data sheets.

Here's what this means for paints:

• No VOC emissions - less than 1g organic solvents/l paint
• Minimum content - 1 to 3 g organic solvents/l paint
• Low - between 3 and 30 g organic solvents/l paint
• Average content - between 30 and 80 g organic solvents / l paint.

The accumulation of volatile organic compound emissions inside the home can lead to irritation of the eyes, throat or nose, headaches, dizziness and vomiting, and breathing problems. If you have used products containing solvents and experience such symptoms, ventilate your home thoroughly and remove the source. A good air purifier is house plants. Long-term exposure to these substances (living permanently in such an environment) can damage the nervous system or more serious problems can occur.

This is also why we recommend whenever possible using natural products, ecological, of those water-based when you want to repaint your old furniture or have a different kind of home project. In the factory the use of solvent-based products is controlled (with spray booths, finishing lines, gas masks and protective gear), which is almost impossible at home. Don't save money by taking cheap products with little or no information on the label, as they can damage your health. These savings can be sorely felt after a while. Often the price differences are not even so great as to justify choosing a harmful product.

I hope this information is useful and helps you stay healthy.