A Paint Primer: Eco-Friendly Paint

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So you want to add color to the living room walls? You’ve probably heard the bad news: Fresh-paint smell may be an odiferous bad omen. Common interior paint contains a host of suspect ingredients, including sometimes-smelly volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as benzene, formaldehyde, and petrochemicals. These VOCs and other paint chemicals are under scrutiny for causing everything from temporary respiratory irritations to chronic illnesses. Not a pretty picture.

Thanks to increasing customer demand, though, manufacturers are developing better paint that provides excellent durability and coverage. In addition, old-fashioned options can satisfy thoroughly modern environmental sensibilities.

All paint must have a Materials Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), which lists known hazards and precautions. You’ll have to ask for it or get it online, then decipher chemical names such as dimethyloldimethylhydantoin (that’s formaldehyde to you and me). Green Seal, an independent nonprofit, has established stringent standards for environmentally friendly paints, and those that meet the criteria can be certified as such. Look for the Green Seal logo or check with an eco-retailer, a green architect, or an eco-savvy contractor for reputed brands. To avoid chemical sensitivities, stay away from biocides, mildewcides, preservatives, additives, and other magical boosters.

Milk paint

You can’t drink it, but true milk paint (also called casein paint) is incredibly safe. Made from milk protein (casein), pigments, lime, clay, and water added on site by the homeowner, it’s practically VOC free; has a mild, nontoxic odor; doesn’t chip or peel; and is safe for use even on children’s toys. Plus, there’s ­little waste because you mix it as needed.

Milk-based paint is a terrific option if your walls are unfinished, porous, or made from plaster, wood, or earth. If the surface is nonporous, you may need to do some prep work—such as applying special bonding agents or sanding—to prepare your walls for milk paint; check with the manufacturer or retailer.

Low-VOC, zero-VOC, or low-odor paint

Almost every major paint brand now has a low-VOC line, identified in accordance with EPA guidelines for interior architectural coatings. The non-glossy latex variety should outgas less than 250 grams of VOCs per liter (g/l), and the oil-based type less than 380 g/l. Paint advertised as “zero VOC” or “no VOC” may have extremely low VOC measurements in independent testing, but the EPA hasn’t yet established limits. Some environmental building programs believe EPA regulations aren’t rigorous enough about protecting human health; they encourage using paints that produce less that 150 g/l of VOCs.