Written By Nate. On Mar 16. In Environment, Household

You might not know that a gallon of indoor paint could contain a load of chemicals that not only are bad for you and your family but are also bad for the air, soil and water when the chemicals are released into the environment.  These chemicals, called Volatile Organic Compounds or VOC’s for short, are in all kinds of adhesives, caulks and paint.  Many of these products are now available in low or VOC free formulations to keep the air inside your home as pure and chemical free as possible.

Paint companies have jumped on the VOC free bandwagon.  But, there’s a catch that you should know while shopping for paint.  While many of the paint base colors are low or VOC free, the tinting process where color is added and mixed to your paint just adds up to 150 grams up the chemicals back in, virtually undoing the whole idea of purchasing low or VOC free paint.  One company called ICI has changed the way they do business making both base colors and the tints VOC free.  The tint is actually a powder instead of the normal liquid and is pre-mixed and measured at the factory.  Then, the whole tint packet is dropped into the can of paint where it completely dissolves and leaves you with the desired color, VOC free.

The process ends with a much more environmentally friendly paint and one with more precise colors, since the factory has complete control over the final results of the tint packets.  The Freshaire Choice paint runs between $35 and $40 a gallon and will be sold exclusively at Home Depot beginning in April.