Exploring the Truth about the Environmental Friendliness of Latex Paints
Recently, a reader, Mr. Tang, called for help saying that he intended to buy a new interior wall paint for home decoration in the market. However, upon arriving at the building materials market, he found that there were various brands of eco-friendly paints with different names, ranging from a few to dozens of types. Which one should he choose? Is it true that the more expensive it is, the safer it is?
Labeled 'eco-friendly' is three times more expensive
After visiting the latex paint market, it was found that there are various eco-friendly paints with functions such as formaldehyde-resistant paint, odorless paint, children's special eco-friendly paint, and anti-mold and anti-alkali functions. There are paints that claim to decompose formaldehyde and those that claim to be free of harmful substances like formaldehyde and VOCs. The price range for each type of latex paint is also quite large, from hundreds to thousands of dollars. In a professional latex paint store, the salesperson introduced that the main eco-friendly products include bamboo charcoal factor, odorless, and all-effect formaldehyde-resistant paint. One type of additive-free odorless paint is about three times more expensive than the same weight of ordinary odorless paint.
Promotional materials for a certain brand's formaldehyde-resistant odorless five-in-one interior wall paint claim to have the effect of decomposing formaldehyde and benzene. Additionally, the promotional materials explain that the source of formaldehyde mainly comes from various man-made boards and adhesives used in flooring. In some brands' brochures, it is often seen marked as: VOC (20g/L) or VOC less than or equal to 20g/L (self-test value). An industry insider who wished to remain anonymous told reporters that adding the 'self-test value' label means this is the result of the manufacturer's own testing. If consumers question it and take it to a professional institution for testing, even if it exceeds national standards, the merchant will have an explanation. Additionally, some products emphasize fresh scents, super wash resistance, and anti-mold functions, which consumers often mistakenly believe also reflect eco-friendliness.
A certain component being low does not necessarily mean it is eco-friendly
Faced with eco-friendly wall paints in the market, some consumers blindly trust product promotions. A Ms. Zhang, who is selecting children's paint, said that she mainly listens to the salesperson's introduction when choosing wall paint and does not understand the content of the ingredients. Comparing several children's paints and considering the safety of her child's growth, she ultimately plans to buy the most expensive all-effect bamboo charcoal odorless paint.
Some consumers also believe that as long as there is no pungent smell, it must be an eco-friendly product. In fact, this is a significant misconception. Latex paint products all contain fragrances, and some fragrances are just not easily detectable by the nose, which does not mean the product is eco-friendly. Additionally, latex paint, as the name suggests, is a coating that contains latex components, and latex is a type of chemical adhesive, so it inherently contains formaldehyde. Furthermore, latex paint is one of the better and finer products in coatings, so it has higher requirements for film formation, which depends on the VOC or latex content. If one of these is low, the other will increase in quantity. Therefore, for products that emphasize the amount of a certain harmful substance, do not blindly assume they are 100% eco-friendly.
Some products focus their promotions on functional introductions, but in reality, the eco-friendliness of coating products themselves depends on whether they can decompose harmful substances and what the decomposition efficiency is. These are the key issues that should be explained in promotions.
How ordinary people can pay for brand added value
Industry insiders believe that according to the eco-friendly standards for wall paints, 'Limit of Harmful Substances in Indoor Decorative Materials for Interior Wall Coatings', there are clear limits for free formaldehyde, volatile organic compounds in wall paints, and soluble cadmium, soluble mercury, and other heavy metals. Any product that meets these standards can be considered eco-friendly. However, if a product raises its price by adding more functions, consumers need to be discerning.
Suggestions from the editor
Faced with the huge price difference in the latex paint market, how should consumers choose? The editor suggests that everyone should first rationally understand that latex paint is a type of chemical material and should not blindly believe that latex paint is free of formaldehyde and VOCs. However, the amount of VOCs and formaldehyde released after the paint dries is extremely small. Additionally, when choosing products, one should recognize the brand value and added value of branded products; the most expensive is not necessarily the best. Brand pricing is often based on the consumer group for their products, so choosing a price within one's affordability is sufficient. After the wall paint is applied, placing plants and ensuring good ventilation can also help reduce indoor air pollution. This is the most important and convenient method.
Key words:
Previous Page:
He said:
Related News
External Wall Insulation System
2020-08-06
Message
* Note: Make sure you fill in the information accurately and keep the communication open, we will contact you as soon as possible.
Contact Us
No.19, Jingkai Second Avenue, Zhengzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone, China
Telephone
Page Copyright©Henan Dejiali Technology Group Co., Ltd.
Powered by :www.300.cn Supported IPV6 Privacy Agreement
