Painting Services

Did you know… Solvent-borne and high solids paints and coatings generate about 0.47-0.67kg of CO₂e per m² (DSM, 2011). For every 1,000m² of painted surface, 470-670kg of CO₂e would be emitted into the atmosphere – which is equivalent to driving a gasoline car for about 2 months!

Minimum Sustainable Recommendations

Request the contractor to meet the following requirements when using paints and other architectural surface coatings (e.g. primer, sealers, stains, lacquers, varnish, etc.):

• Latex (water-based) paints must be used over oil-based paints, where possible.
• Latex paints and other architectural coatings must have at least one of the following third-party certifications:
  • Master Painters Institute (MPI) Extreme Green
  • MPI Green Performance Standard 2
  • MPI Green Performance Standard 1
  • Green Seal: GS-11 Paints Coatings, Stains and Sealers
  • Cradle to Cradle (Silver of higher)
  • UL EcoLogo: UL 2768 Architectural Surface Coatings
• For paints and other architectural coatings not covered by the third-party certifications above, the product(s) must comply with South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) Rule #1113 for Architectural Coatings and Rule #1168 for adhesives and sealants.
• The contractor must only provide the amount of paint necessary for the project.
• The contractor must offer take-back/recycling programs for excess paints and other architectural surface coatings that will not be used within the expected shelf life. The contractor must:
  • Take-back materials and recycle/dispose them in an environmentally safe manner.
  • Provide a written guarantee that ensures all materials are sent for recycling or proper disposal.
  • Offer manufacturer take-back programs involving material recovery processes
    • Provide the manufacturers certificate of proof noting the methods of material recovery. 
  • Provide information on the types and amounts of materials recycled; and provide the names and addresses of companies where materials were sent for recycling.
• The contractor must manage excess solvent-based paints, wood stain and finishes and toxic cleaning supplies that cannot be re-used as hazardous waste and they must be disposed of in accordance with provincial regulations.
• Paints or other surface coatings containing Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) should only be applied in well ventilated areas and/or exterior surfaces.

Other things to consider

Workers and contractors providing painting services should also consider the following sustainable painting practices such as:

1. Show preference for paints and other architectural coatings with the following additional attributes:
   1. SCS Indoor Advantage Gold Certification (focused on reducing VOCs)
   2. UL GreenGuard Gold Certification (focused on reducing VOCs)
   3. USDA Biobased Certification (focused on the amount of renewable content in products)
   4. Products with a health Product Declaration (HPD) published by the manufacturer (focused on potential chemicals of concern)
   5. Recycled content in products
2. Paints and surface coatings should be purchased in the largest size container suitable for the application in order to minimize the disposal of packaging materials.
3. After construction is complete but prior to the building being occupied, a building flush can help eliminate remaining VOCs from within the building.

Also consider, building certification programs such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) offers credits for enhanced indoor environmental quality.  Proper paint selection may be a critical component of the certification process.

To minimize greenhouse gas emissions and solid waste production, the contractor should be encouraged to develop sustainable delivery strategies:

1. Product delivery consolidations
2. Efficient transportation logistics
3. No idling of vehicles
4. Use of fuel efficient delivery vehicles

What are the issues?

Paints are manufactured using a wide range of organic and inorganic materials. They can contain components that adversely impact the environment at different stages of its life cycle, releasing solvents and toxic substances during paint manufacturing, application, coating and disposal.

Oil based paints of a century ago were coloured by pigments made from heavy metals such as mercury, lead and arsenic. Information about the health effects associated with exposure to these metals is well documented and today they are no longer acceptable ingredients in paint.  Today, many paint manufacturers are focusing their attention on another component of traditional paints that cause environmental and health impacts, the use of petroleum-based solvents.

Petroleum-based solvents, also known as VOCs, are added to paint to bind and disperse the colour pigments and carry the paint from the can to the wall.  The solvents then evaporate into the air while the paint is drying, leaving the coloured film on the wall. The type and amount of solvent added to paint varies with the type and brand of paint. Traditional oil-based paints have a solvent level of 50% or more. This means that for every four-liter can of paint applied to a wall, two liters of solvent evaporates into the air as the paint dries.

Painting a large area with these high solvent-based paints may often lead to inhalation exposure for people applying the paint. Those spending time in these freshly painted areas may experience headaches and other adverse health effects.   Some solvent types found in paint such as benzene, toluene and formaldehyde have been linked to eye, nose and throat irritation, nausea, headaches and cancer.

In addition to the health issues, VOCs also react with oxygen in the presence of sunlight to form ground level ozone. VOCs also contribute to greenhouse gas emissions.  Industries such as automotive and furniture industries often include emissions from paint applications in their greenhouse gas inventory.

What are the options?

To reduce the harmful impacts associated with paint, water-based (latex) paints are now commonly used as alternatives to solvent-based paint.  Water-based paints contain synthetic binder which behave like solvents, carry and disperse the colour pigments and carry the paint from the can to the wall.  The water then evaporates into the air while the paint is drying.  Water-based paints generally have low or zero VOCs. In addition, recycled paints are also making their way into the market.

To make it easier for consumers to purchase paints that reduce impacts on the environment and human health, third-party certifications have been developed for latex paints and other architectural coatings. These certifications restrict chemicals of concern (COC) in products (e.g. mercury, methylene chloride, hexavalent chromium, lead, etc.), limit VOC content and emissions, and/or require products to meet performance standards. Third-party certifications include:

• Master Painters Institute (MPI) Extreme Green
• MPI Green Performance Standard 2 (GPS-2)
• MPI Green Performance Standard 1 (GPS-1)
• Green Seal: GS-11 Paints, Coatings, Stains and, Sealers
• Cradle to Cradle (silver or Higher)
• UL EcoLogo: UL 2758 Architectural Surface Coatings

In bid documents, these certifications should be requested for latex paints and other architectural coatings. Below is a table summarizing which issues (i.e. COCs, VOCs, performance standards) these third-party certifications address:

Source: New York State Approved EO 4 Specification: Paint https://ogs.ny.gov/greenny/paint

Last updated: May 2021