| Unfortunately, there is no one international standard | | | | areas. Open your windows, try not to seal your |
| or body regarding the classification of VOCs. VOCs | | | | house off from the outside air. Mixing inside and |
| or Volatile Organic Compounds are carbon containing | | | | outside air dilutes VOC concentrations. |
| compounds that easily vaporize or off-gas. Volatile | | | | - Read the manufacturers recommendations about |
| Organic Compounds are naturally occurring in nature | | | | storage. If you have an opened paint can, leave it in |
| and are often noticeable as smells. | | | | the garage, well away from where people are living. |
| Commonly occurring VOCs include formaldehyde, | | | | - If you have any old paints, varnishes, strippers, |
| benzene, methylene chloride, perchloroethylene, | | | | photocopier ink, polish remover that you don't use, |
| methyl tert-butyl ether (MBTE), methane (often | | | | throw them away in a responsible fashion. |
| separately classified), chlorofluorocarbons, styrene | | | | - Don't bulk buy VOC containing products. You may |
| and limonene. | | | | save a few cents but you are bringing 'poisons' into |
| The trouble is that our modern industrial age has | | | | your living spaces, which should be minimized. |
| become addicted to VOCs and it is only relatively | | | | - And finally, keep exposure to benzene, methylene |
| recently that we have woken up the inherent health | | | | chloride and perchloroethylene to a minimum. These |
| risks of VOCs. Volatile organic compounds are found | | | | are some of the worst VOCs in terms of human |
| in a wide range of everyday products: in paints, | | | | health problems. Benzene is present in cigarette |
| adhesives, fuels, solvents, coatings, permanent | | | | smoke, stored fuels and automobile emissions; |
| marker pens, polish remover, dry cleaning agents, | | | | methylene chloride is present in paint strippers, |
| feedstocks, refrigerants, wood preservatives, aerosol | | | | aerosol spray paints and adhesive removers and; |
| sprays, disinfectants, moth repellents, air fresheners, | | | | perchloroethylene is present in newly dry-cleaned |
| photocopy machines and paint strippers. Basically any | | | | materials and fabrics.Another VOC to watch out for |
| household product with a strong 'chemical' smell | | | | is formaldehyde which is often found in adhesives |
| probably contains VOCs. | | | | and furniture varnishes. Formaldehyde has been |
| It is a long list of products that contain VOCs. A few | | | | proven to cause allergies in children and respiratory |
| manufacturers are now labeling their products as 'low | | | | problems for adults. Nowadays there are a few glues |
| VOC' or 'VOC free'. As I mentioned in my opening | | | | and adhesives such as Healthy Bond Adhesive and |
| paragraph there is no international standard for | | | | Sealer which are formaldehyde free. Fuse strand |
| defining VOCs so something labeled as 'low VOC' | | | | woven bamboo flooring made by Bamboo Mountain |
| could be high in other VOCs not recognized under the | | | | uses a formaldehyde free adhesive in the process of |
| VOC guidelines the manufacturer is using. | | | | making strand woven bamboo. Colombia Forest |
| A common example of the detrimental health effects | | | | Products use a soy based adhesive to make their |
| of VOCs is found in the very real problem called 'sick | | | | plywood which is formaldehyde free. They use |
| building syndrome'. Office workers are subjected to a | | | | PureBond technology that synthetically mimics the |
| sealed environment full of VOC emitting items. They | | | | byssal threads used by mussels to cling to rocks. |
| get irritated throats, respiratory problems, nausea | | | | Another great product is the Eimann Fabrik VOC Free |
| and dizziness. VOC exposure can cause asthma and | | | | Engine Degreaser that cleans dirt, grime, grease and |
| allergies. Exposure to certain VOCs has been shown | | | | oil from your engine without emitting any toxic VOCs. |
| to cause cancer in animals and is widely suspected to | | | | Finally, the best advice to give is to live a bit more |
| do the same for people. Benzene the VOC found in | | | | 'organically'. Open your windows instead of using |
| cigarette smoke is definitely carcinogenic. | | | | air-con. Give up on air-fresheners and air-purifiers. Nails |
| The US Environment Protection Agency sets out | | | | get on just fine without polish; stop using aerosol can |
| some simple guidelines to reduce the health risks | | | | products and; cut back on your dry cleaning. In short |
| posed by VOCs to people. A lot of it is common | | | | all that stuff knocking around your house with |
| sense and not hard to follow. | | | | chemical smell is plain bad for you and seriously bad |
| - Ventilate your house properly. The biggest problem | | | | for your kids. Be especially cautious about cheap |
| is the build-up of VOCs per billion parts in indoor | | | | furniture and plywood products. |