Let’s look deeper at conventional paints.

DID YOU KNOW?

Today we will discuss general conventional coatings:

1. How long does it take actually take a latex acrylic paint to fully 100% dry?

1. About 5 to 8 years. In actuality it never really totally dries. Oil never really dries and the quote water-based paint are actually just oil paints that were made water immiscible is all. If you think they can fully dry, then dump some oil on your driveway and tell me how long it takes to fully dry.

1. Yes, they can cure to a point they are hard, but they are not totally dry.

1. In reality, to call something a water-based product, it should contain over 51% water in the total content and no conventional paint out there does that.

2. How do the big-name brands make their paints zero VOC?

2. Most removed things like glycol out of the product to get it to be VOC compliant. But when you ask how you can stop things like skinning over in the pan, lap lines and picture framing; you get told you need to add the glycol back into the paint. So, what did you actually do to help your environment and safety of the users by adding the VOC carcinogens back into the paint?

3. What about milk paints, they are safe, right?

3. Not really, you get most of them in a prouder form and you have to mix them all up. Is this an issue?

                                                              i.      Yes, the powders are hazardous to our health. Especially things like the Ti02, Pigments and some of the other material. But the manufacture can say Milk paints are totally safe as they are not the ones having to make them up the paint; you are the consumer.

3. Other issues are: Milk Paints break down faster than other paints and thus the pigments and Ti02 start to become airborne in your home.

3. Some milk paints have toxic preservatives in them, these would be the ones that provide you with a resin that gets mixed in to make it more durable. Or the ones that come pre-mixed for you.

4. Can you freeze paints, and will they still be good to use once thawed out?

4. In most cases with conventional coats products, if they do freeze, you can try mixing them back up once thawed, but the odds on them still being good and durable is very unlikely.

4. There is however one manufacture that has been able to freeze their paints multiple times and they have never had any issues after thawing and mixing the products back up. Yes, they use all natural materials, no petrochemicals, no preservatives and do not use glycol or heavy metals in their products.

5.  What are hazardous cancer causing preservatives?

5. Isothiazolinones, Methylisothiazolinone, Methylchlorisothiazolinone, Benzisothiazolinone, Octylisothiazolinone, Parabens, Bronopol, and BHT chemicals.

6. What are some other cancer causing chemicals used in paints?

6. Commonly used heavy metal carcinogen dryers, benzene, toluene and glycol to name a few.

7. Are all materials in a paint listed on the SDS?

7. NO, they are not required if the end material is listed elsewhere.

                                                              i.      Example: Latex Acrylic resin has to be listed, but the benzene or toluene in the produce doesn’t as it is already listed on the resins SDS.

7. Also, some manufactures have gotten attorneys to help litigate the requirement of including materials that make up less than 10% of the total volume. Example, the heavy metal dryers as they are only 1 to 5% of the total volume. But yet known carcinogens.

8. What testing should I be looking for on a paint?

8. The highest standard testing is the C14, C18 and ASMT D6886 testing.

9. Are paints dangerous to pets?

9. Yes. In fact, in most cases if you have pets like birds and some other sensitive animals, if you’re painting in the same room or even a close room to them; you could in fact kill them.

9. Some pets may even rub against the paint or lick the paint, this can cause cancer, cause seizures or even shut down their raspatory system all together

10. How dangerous are conventional latex acrylic paints around children?

10. Can be very dangerous depending on their ages. Newborns being the most venerable than say a 10-year-old. The immune system can be totally compromised from the materials in most conventional paints. Even the digestive system can have serious implications if the child teethed on a surface that was painted within a year or two, depending on the type coating applied. Breathing issue like asthma can be caused with prolong exposure to the air in a room painted within the last year with most conventional paints.

10. In some cases, if a child’s immune system is already compromised due to the parents over exposures to very toxic chemicals, the child has a much higher risk factor for contracting more serious health issues like cancers or autoimmune failures. Chemicals like benzine, toluene and many heavy metals are known to cause several different kinds of cancers from exposure to them, especially prolonged exposers.

10. Isothiazolinones, Methylisothiazolinone, Methylchlorisothiazolinone, Benzisothiazolinone, Octylisothiazolinone, Parabens, Bronopol, and BHT chemicals are being looked at seriously today as they are seeing an alarming increase in autoimmune issues from the exposure to them. Not just in children, but in adults as well.

11. So, does all this mean that we have to stop painting now?

11. Not really, there are a few companies that are working on removing all these problematic issues from coatings, but most are overseas. However as best we know of, we are the only ones really revolutionizing coatings. Making them safe for people and pets and not just trying to be EPA compliant. Paints that are made of plants, minerals, clays, and plant-based products including its mineral colorants. We are in the USA and makes all our coating products (paints, stains, sealers, clear coats and colors) without the use of preservatives, petrochemicals or heavy metal dryers.

11. There are others out there, but you need to do your do diligences and review the SDS and other documents. As well ask the hard questions like do you actually manufacture the products or does someone else make them for you. We say this as there are some who state they do not put many of these materials in their products, yet they do not make them themselves and their tollers do add these chemicals into the products. Their stance is they personally do not add them, but the fact is their manufacture of the product do.

11. So, your other option is taking extremes to protect yourself from the very toxic materials in conventional coatings. When painting, using things like special sealed clothing which include a full hood and booties. Protective gloves, special protective creams for exposed skin areas. Using a full-face respirator. Then once done painting, special VOC air filtration system, ventilating a room or space for at least 18 to 30 plus days, then using special air purifiers for the next year or two. DO not forget to keep everyone out of the area for at least 30 days to reduce their risks too.

The options are up to you the consumer. Many will not change their ways and will continue to use conventional coatings until they are personally affected and that is the sad things as we can’t count how many customers have had to deal with cancers or serious health issues for years, some loosing loved ones and other almost loosing someone before being cautious and concerned about their environments. We hope that all will start being more focused on their environments before something drastic has to happen. Complaining to the other manufactures can also promote change too. If we can do this, the big names can too. They just need to stop focusing so much on the massive profits they strive annually to make every year. And just an idea what we are talking about, one company’s architectural coatings side is an annual $18-billion-dollar plus business.

Hope this helps you and keep watching for our next posting.

Eco Friendly Paints v EPA compliant paints