Why use natural, Nontoxic paint?

• You know you’re putting a natural product on your walls that won’t off-gas toxins for years to come.

• You know you’re choosing a product you, your family and the environment can live with.

• You know you’re spending a comparable amount for a healthier choice.

As a responsible consumer, finding natural, non-toxic paint can be difficult. Unlike organic produce, there really isn’t a certified “organic” paint. Green Seal certification doesn’t necessarily tell you what is in your paint and regulatory agencies don’t require paint companies to list all of their ingredients.

At Strong River we feel it is important for you to make careful choices when painting your home or work space. But how can you when you don’t know what’s in the can of paint?

Does zero-VOC paint really mean zero?

Throughout North America zero-VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) is gaining attention. This means that per federal regulation, there is a reduction in the amount of harmful material coming out of your paint as it dries. The EPA in the US determined that the off-gassing from architectural coatings is estimated to account for about 9% of greenhouse emissions over urban centres. BUT, and this is a big BUT… It is important to understand that using the EPA’s test method for VOC’s, any paint with 250 g/l or less of VOCs can be called low-VOC paint. Further, the colorant that is typically added to these paints has VOC’s, meaning that the paint you take home may not be zero-VOC, even if the base is.

So it really is insufficient to consider only VOC’s when making paint purchasing decisions. The environmental footprint of a low-VOC paint can include all kinds of synthetic materials to control flow, skinning, settling, etc., that ultimately don’t support a vision of sustainability and well being for the environment. It is because of this that Strong River likes to use zero-VOC and natural paint. For real. Whether it’s Yolo Colorhouse, Anna Sova, Farrow and Ball, American Clay or others, the paints we choose to use are truly natural, 100% Nontoxic products.