VOC stands for Volatile Organic Compound. More specifically it's defined as, "an organic compound that has an initial boiling point less than or equal to 250 degrees Celsius measured at a standard pressure of 101.3kpa."
Taubmans is committed to the sustainable reduction of VOCs, and while the contribution of VOCs in premium quality architectural paint to poor indoor air quality is very minor, VOC reduction is seen as a benefit to the community and environment as a whole.
Taubmans has formulated a paint specifically for architects, specifiers and trade painters called Pure Performance. Pure Performance has been approved by the Green Building Council and the National Asthma Council's Sensitive Choice Program. It is formulated to be low in VOCs and have minimal impact on indoor air quality. Taubmans is also further reducing the VOC level of selected water based products and continuing to develop water based alternatives to traditional solvent based technologies.
A low level of VOCs has been maintained in order to preserve the products application and serviceability properties. This ensures a long coating life, meaning fewer repaints and reduced consumption of non-renewable resources.
Taubmans is also at the forefront of delivering new innovative products that deliver real benefits in terms of indoor air quality e.g. developing products that fight the growth of microbes that produce bacteria, mould, mildew and fungus.
Odour and toxicity
Water based architectural paints are intended to be used by the public in a domestic setting. The health and safety of these users is of prime concern to Taubmans and for this reason, VOCs for water based architectural paints in Australia are selected to minimise odour and toxicity.
The main VOC used in paint is Propylene glycol and it has no odour and extremely low toxicity. It's even found in some food, cosmetics, shampoos and conditioners, and medicinal products.
Indoor Air Quality
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) defines Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) as the quality of the air in any non-industrial indoor space where a person spends a period of an hour or more in any day. This can include but is not limited to the office, classroom, shopping centre, hospital and the home. Indoor air quality is an indication of how well indoor air satisfies thermal and respiratory requirements, prevents unhealthy accumulation of pollutants and allows for a sense of well being.
The VOCs used in water based architectural paint are mild in odour and are very low in toxicity. With normal ventilation no VOCs will be present two weeks after painting. In the event of repainting an occupied building, water based paints have a very minor and temporary impact on indoor air quality. This means that after two weeks there is no effect on IAQ for the eventual building occupants. Taubmans paints can even improve IAQ in unhealthy buildings by resisting growth of mould and bacteria on painted surfaces.
Effects on the Environment
VOCs can be linked to production of photochemical smog in the atmosphere, but not all VOCs produce the same effects. Recent studies in the United States have focused on the reactivity of VOCs. Evidence to date shows that VOCs used in water based paints have a neutral effect, and do not add to smog formation. Some studies even suggest that propylene glycol and other compounds that can be mixed in water may not remain in the atmosphere long enough to participate in such reactions.
