Navigations: Minimum Sustainable Recommendations | What are the Issues? | What are the Options? |
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!
Request the contractor to meet the following requirements when using paints and other architectural surface coatings (e.g. primer, sealers, stains, lacquers, varnish, etc.):
Other things to consider
Workers and contractors providing painting services should also consider the following sustainable painting practices such as:
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:
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.
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:
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:
Third-Party Certification |
Restricts COCs |
VOC content Limits |
VOC emission Limits |
Meets Performance Standards |
---|---|---|---|---|
MPI Extreme Green |
X |
X |
X |
X |
MPI GPS-2 |
X |
X |
|
X |
MPI GPS-1 |
X |
X |
|
X |
Green Seal GS-11 |
X |
X |
|
X |
Cradle to Cradle |
X |
|
X |
|
UL EcoLogo 2768 |
X |
X |
|
X |
Source: New York State Approved EO 4 Specification: Paint https://ogs.ny.gov/greenny/paint
Last updated: May 2021
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