No to toxicity

A freshly painted room can do wonders for improving the look of your home. However, the process of achieving that freshly painted look can have an undesirable effect on your health.

The most well-known toxic substances in paint are volatile organic compounds, known as VOCs.

They are a by-product of either solids, liquids or a combination of both in paint.

When paint is applied, the by-product is released into the atmosphere in the form of a gas (paint fumes).

There is a wide variety of both short-term and long-term negative health effects associated with VOCs in paint fumes. Some VOCs also have been linked to cancer, as well as kidney and liver damage. The severity of the health effect depends on several different factors, including both the length of time and the level of exposure.

Indoor VOC levels are routinely 10 times higher than outdoor levels and up to 1,000 times higher immediately after painting. Although VOC levels are highest during and soon after painting, they continue seeping out for several years. In fact, only 50 percent of the VOCs may be released in the first year

So, the next time you decide to re-paint your walls, choose a paint that is free from VOC.