VOCs: Volatile Organic Compounds, Indoor Air Quality and Respiratory Health
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 03.13.08
Getty Images
Volatile organic compounds: something's in the air
You can't see them, but they're all around us. They aren't listed as ingredients on the objects we bring in our home, but they're often there. They're volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, a wide range of carbon-based molecules (organic compounds) used in a wide range of products that find their way into our homes. Under normal conditions, they vaporize, effectively leaving their host and entering the air (that's the "volatile" part) where they combine with other airborne compounds to form ozone, which isn't good to breathe.
Though they exist everywhere in the environment -- the most common volatile organic compound is methane, which comes from everything from wetlands to cow farts and other ruminant gases to rice agriculture -- they are most well-known for the harm they can cause indoors, where they can be introduced via paint, carpets, furnishings, and cleaning agents.
There's more than meets the eye when it comes to furniture and wallcoverings. Photo credit: Getty Images
Where do volatile organic compounds cause problems?
Indoor environments are where volatile organic compounds are most dangerous to us; they contribute to poor indoor air quality, which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates is often two to five times worse than the air outside, but concentrations of VOCs can be up to 1,000 times greater indoors than out! Common VOCs include formaldehyde, used in many glues and adhesives, including those found in wood veneers, plywood and particle board, and polyurethane, which is used in many foams, paints, varnishes, and construction sealants.
VOCs and respiratory health
As we noted in our Green Basics column about indoor air pollution, if there are volatile organic compounds in a product, there are VOCs that can off-gas into the air, creating a danger to human health when they do. At high concentrations, some VOCs can cause chronic and acute health effects; others are known carcinogens. But even low to moderate levels of multiple VOCs can produce acute reactions. Bottom line: Avoid volatile organic compounds as much as possible.
VOCs lurk in many conventional cleaning products.
VOCs: different definitions in different places
Interestingly, though they're all the same substances, the definition of "volatile organic compound" varies by locale. The U.S. EPA defines VOCs as "any compound of carbon, excluding carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, carbonic acid, metallic carbides or carbonates, and ammonium carbonate, which participates in atmospheric photochemical reactions," but also includes a list of dozens of exceptions for compounds "determined to have negligible photochemical reactivity."
Volatile organic compounds and air quality standards
Under European law, the definition of a VOC is based on evaporation into the atmosphere, rather than reactivity, and the British coatings industry has adopted a labeling scheme for all decorative coatings to inform customers about the levels of organic solvents and other volatile materials present. Split into five levels, or "bands", these span minimal, low, medium, high, and very high.
In the U.S., various rules apply to labeling products, too. A "no-VOC" paint, for example, must have fewer than five grams of VOCs per liter; latex paints containing less than 250 grams per liter and alkyd paints with less than 380 may be labeled as "low-VOC." However, adding pigment typically adds VOCs, and since testing is typically completed before color is added, VOC levels can vary widely from these parameters.
An "open door" policy can help prevent VOCs from building up inside your home. Photo credit: Getty Images
Avoiding volatile organic compounds and improving indoor air quality
Water-based glues, adhesives, finishes, and soy-based foams will help keep VOC levels to a minimum in furnishings and decor. Buying green cleaners helps ensure that you aren't adding toxins to the air when you clean them.
For further reading, check out green household paint alternatives, learn how to monitor VOC levels in your home and get the low-down on "vapor intrusion". VOCs contribute to Sick Building Syndrome (which is another post), and the EPA has good basic info on how the two relate, and more info on VOCs. Get the facts, and start breathing easier in your home today.
Breathe fresh green goodness with our Green Basics column, which appears regularly on TreeHugger.
I knew virtually zero about this problem. I still know virtually zero, but at least know I'm aware it is a 'real' problem.
It's amazing how some form of pollutant is introduced into our lifestyles by everything we touch, no matter how careful we try to be about what we buy.
It's also amazing that the powers that be who are supposed to be there to protect us - especially from things not commonly known about - have left a loophole allowing producers to exploit safeguards, i.e. the pre-colour testing. Yep, good one again, there boys!
Interesting article.
Steve N. Lee
author of eco-blog www.lionsledbysheep.com
and 'What if...?', an eco-suspense thriller with a philosophical twist.
This was a good introduction to VOCs, but could you please do a more thorough follow up set of stories? Something like your "How to be green in_" series?
One of my frustrations in dealing with things like VOCs is that there is little advice on how to deal with them. I know that paint can be bad for you, that your couch maybe killing you and household cleaning chemicals are the devil (I figured that one out on my own when I accidentally splashed some cleaner in my eye). But I don't know how to address this Eco-BogeyMan.
I understand the advice on what sort of paints to use, but what if my room is already painted with a VOC paint? Will a new layer of no VOC paint stop the off gassing? Are there any other steps I can take along with the "open door" policy? I realize this isn't TH's fault as there is little practical information on the EPA website, but I don't want to be afraid and ignorant of the subject. Too often when I ask about chemicals or plastics all I hear back is that I should just take what the big companies say and the opposite will be true. That sort of "advice" is worthless to me and doesn't help in living a healthier more eco-friendly life.
Anyways, good introductory article! Please follow up with more.
In response to the other comments: The reason why there is little real information in this article (besides scare phrases like "concentrations of VOCs can be up to 1,000 times greater indoors than out!") is because there is little evidence that these chemicals pose a real danger is small quantities. 1000 times of almost nothing is still almost nothing. I am a Chemistry teacher and very into saving the planet but this VOC stuff sounds like just an uninformed buzzword to introduce un-needed worry into the real issues.
Give us the real facts. Can VOC's in paint cause acute reactions in people who are allegic to them? Yes, but so can things like peanuts and milk (even the sun!). Have some of these chemicals been linked to chronic helth effects? Yes, but it would likely take many years of exposure to freshly painted (and unventilated) rooms to cause any noticable problems. They're called volatile because they vaporize quickly (look up the definition) and they tend not to stick around too long. Does the production of low-VOC paint reduce the impact to the environment like bamboo or recycled flooring does? In most cases no, and it usually costs more. So why is low-VOC considered green when it doesn't really save the environment or money?
My advice would be to focus your time and money on more important ecological problems. Low VOC paints are good to prevent breathing vapors while you paint, but I would rather just open a window and focus on reducing my carbon footprint. A few hundred grams of VOC's do a lot less damage to the environment (and my health) than the tons of CO2 (and other VOC's) removed by installing a couple of solar panels. My solar thermal system also saves me $2000 a year at current propane prices, so I'd much rather put my time and money into those.
I am probably much better informed about what VOC's are and their effects than most, including these "green consultants". I'm not saying these chemicals aren't harmful and I agree that we would be better off without them. I'm just saying I would rather see the paint factories spend millions on solar or wind power, than millions on reformulating their paint mixtures. The same goes for individual consumers looking to improve the environment. It's about doing the little things that make big differences first, then doing the little things that make little differences, especially when you're on a budget.