what does VOC stand for in paint? lifting the lid on volatile organic compounds

If you’ve found yourself on this page, at some point, you’ve probably asked yourself – what does VOC stand for in paint? The question might recall a hazy recollection of GCSE Chemistry, or maybe you simply heard the phrase in passing but it’s stuck on the tip of your tongue.

Whatever the case, we’re here to help you out. We paint nerds will be explaining what paint VOCs are, why they’re relevant to the average DIYer and how low-VOC paints are revolutionising the decorating industry as we know it. Now, let’s let the cat out of the bag.

first things first, what are paint VOCs?

What does VOC stand for and, more importantly, what does this somewhat esoteric term even mean? We’re glad you asked. VOC is an initialism of “volatile organic compounds”, which are a type of chemical compound commonly associated with paints and other household solvents.

To give you a handy overview, the European Environment Agency defines Volatile Organic Compounds as follows: “Organic chemical compounds that under normal conditions are gaseous or can vaporise and enter the atmosphere. VOCs include such compounds as methane, benzene, xylene, propane and butane.”

While most people first think of paints in conjunction with these chemicals, VOCs are found in a broad range of products and a spectrum of applications from household uses all the way to industrial processes. Paints, varnishes, cleaning supplies, pesticides, building materials, furniture, printers, adhesives, fuels, industrial waste and craft supplies – you name it – they could contain VOCs.

their origin

Now you’ve got a basic understanding of what VOCs are and what these three letters stand for, let’s rewind – 2400 years precisely, when Hippocrates taught his students to identify diseases by the means of their patient’s breath. Here, unbeknownst to the practitioners, they were relying on human-made volatile organic compounds to make these evaluations.

While this seems quite a rudimentary practice, physicians today still learn the distinct scents of illness to diagnose the sick, and sniffer dogs with their ultra-sensitive noses are able to pick up VOCs indicative of cancer. Even if you look to the natural world, our gardens and forests, you will find naturally occurring VOCs. Remarkably, it’s how insects and plants communicate!

This is all to say that not all of these chemicals are produced synthetically and that many of them are benign, but humans have evolved to coexist and leverage their distinct properties.

chemical characteristics

Back to the present. In the discussion of what paint VOCs are, it’s handy to have a grasp on their set of unique characteristics. Known to possess a high vapour pressure and low water-solubility, they are emitted from specific solids and liquids as a gas, penetrating our atmosphere and changing its makeup (more on why that’s a problem later).

Because VOCs evaporate so readily, they are a major ingredient in household and industrial paints alike – or at least until recent decades – acting as a solvent. Its role in the formula was to support the application and drying process, ensuring the paint’s consistency was uniform and, thus, easy to get on the surface smoothly. A few of the common ones used in paint are benzene, formaldehyde, methylene chloride and hexane.

environmental impact

You probably knew this was coming… VOCs, or at least the type found in paints, aren’t exactly Mother Nature’s best friends. In fact, those with a high VOC content can be really harmful to the world around us, contaminating our rivers and seas once they get into our water system and contributing to ozone pollution and global warming alike.

While it’s tricky to say whether paint as a whole is environmentally friendly, it’s important to make a distinction between oil-based and water-based paints as the former have much higher VOC levels and won’t dissolve in water. This makes them both more polluting and trickier to clean up after.

health implications

As with any substance that has a negative impact on the environment, VOCs have a knock-on effect on human health, particularly as one of the areas impacted is air quality. If you’ve ever walked past someone using high-VOC paint, you probably noticed the potent smell from the pollutants. Not only is this unpleasant, but prolonged exposure can lead to increased risk for a variety of diseases, particularly related to the lungs.

the decline of VOCs in the paint & decorating industry

Due to the mounting evidence against the use of VOCs, certain types of paint have fallen out of favour among manufacturers and decorators. Beginning in the 1990s, prompted by pressure from regulatory bodies, many countries started enacting legislation to limit VOCs such as the Geneva Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution and have since continued to support their decline. In 2012, specific laws on paint VOCs were introduced, and the decorating industry hasn’t looked back since.

what we’re doing

After learning about the VOC phase-out in the paint industry, you might be interested to know about our stance. Well, at splat, we’re not just about talk – each of our products is hand-selected, ensuring they meet our exacting standards for environmental impact and quality. You won’t find any oil-based or high-VOC paints here. We even make sure that your orders are packaged completely plastic-free, so regret isn’t something you’ll experience with us.

how to be a conscious consumer when it comes to paint VOCs

We’ve shared what we’re doing in the battle against toxic VOCs, but what can you do? Luckily, the short answer is a lot!  With so many people increasingly interested in purpose-driven brands that advocate for sustainability, it’s more accessible to do your bit. And we’re not taking this out of thin air either; consumer attitudes towards sustainability have massively changed over the years, with the so-called “green consumer” on the rise. Here, are just a few eco-friendly decorating tips to get you started on your VOC-less journey.

avoid toxic VOCs

This one is kinda obvious – limit your use of VOCs as much as possible by avoiding products that contain them. An easy way to dodge these nasties is by checking the ingredients list in the can. Below are several examples of what we’d label toxic VOCs:

• Benzene
• Ethylbenzene
• Ethylene Glycol
• Formaldehyde
• Hexane
• Methylene chloride
• Sputum eosinophil
• Styrene
• Toluene
• Xylene
• 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene

using low-VOC paints

So, if we’re avoiding VOCs in paint, what do we use instead? Good question! Well, the answer is one of our favourite eco-friendly brands. From paints to primers, there are plenty of options that advertise themselves as “low-VOC” (less than 8g per litre) or indeed “no VOC” (trace amounts at 5g or less per litre).

If you look at the sustainability and ethics page on their websites, you’ll find an outline of the companies’ commitment to the environment and examples of what they’re doing. If there’s mention of reducing VOCs and going fully water-based, that’s a green flag.

go water-based

Water-based paints and low VOCs go hand in hand. We have a complete guide as to why we’re proud champions of this soluble paint type, but in short, it’s because:

• It’s low odour
• It’s fast-drying and self-levelling, so easy to apply & clean up
• It doesn’t yellow
• It provides a beautiful finish packed with pigment

don’t forget your other painting supplies!

Did you know that other paint and decorating supplies have eco-conscious alternatives too? From primers to white spirit, there are plenty of choices to minimise your impact throughout your DIY project, so don’t forget to look out for those pesky VOCs in all of your products before buying them.

responsible paint disposal

Another way to get our green consumer seal of approval is by properly disposing of your paint once it’s done. This means either recycling leftover paint via a community scheme or donating it to a friend and recycling/repurposing the tin. You may have to dispose of unusable leftovers by drying out the paint; you can do this by adding absorbent materials into the can, which suck up the residue, and then taking the solid mass, once formed, to an appropriate household waste recycling centre.

make the switch today

To round off this blog on paint VOCs, let’s end on a positive note. The paint and decorating industry has well and truly caught up with the science; in other words, volatile organic compounds are firmly on the way out and have been for the best part of a decade. This means that on the consumer side of things, it’s easier than ever to make a choice that is simultaneously kinder to our health and less impactful on the planet.

From the major retail paint players like Dulux to more boutique-adjacent designer paints like Paint & Paper Library, all of the innovators, trendsetters and legacy brands are saying no to VOCs. So, really, you’re spoilt for choice. Let this be your sign to ditch these nasties and pick up a more eco-conscious option instead. We know you’ve got it in you!

After some design inspiration to go with your low-VOC paint? Or perhaps a tutorial to get your next project off on the right foot? Our decorating blog is where it’s at.