For years we have been using paint with high volatile chemical and particle emissions which can cause harm to our health and the air quality. What makes the situation worse is that the high humidity levels in our homes and the lack of proper air circulation cause the interiors of our homes to become much more susceptible to poor air quality than the outdoors. Think about how much time we spend inside behind closed doors. Maybe it is time we learn how to properly handle the paint we already have, and learn about the best paints to purchase in the future.
For paint that you already have in your home, you have several options. Since paint can cause harm to drinking or ocean water, we should not pour it into our drain systems to dispose of it. First try to donate the paint to a local charity, a drama department, a church, or a group such as Habitat for Humanity that cannot afford to buy paint. Then, as your last resort, you will want to dispose of your paint at your local Hazardous Waste program. Check out Earth911.com to find the Hazardous Waste program in your community. Be very careful with oil based paint as it is easily flammable. Remember to recycle your dry, clean, and empty steel paint cans as well!
When looking for new paint, you want to look for products that are GREENGUARD certified. GREENGUARD even has special standards for Children and Schools. This certification verifies that you are using low emitting products and materials. The following manufacturers have GREENGUARD certified paints: AkzoNobel (Devoe Paint Wonder Pure, Dulux Lifemaster, and The Freshaire Choice), Benjamin Moore (AURA
Next time you decide to brighten up your home, think green paint (and we don’t mean the color).
