Myth #1:  If it’s zero VOC, It Must Be Safe

A great deal of emphasis has been placed on the term “VOC” (volatile organic compound) recently, to the extent that many have begun to believe that all VOC’s are “bad” and should be eliminated.  As in most things, this is superficial, and an overstatement.

In fact the government has been interested in regulating VOC’s because some – though not all – VOC’s react with chlorine in the atmosphere to form smog creating compounds ; that is, the government has been primarily interested in reducing outdoor air pollution.  Not only has this focus tarred all VOC’s with the same brush, but it shows no concern with the toxicity of various chemicals.  Indeed, the government has exempted both ammonia and acetone – two very toxic chemicals – from regulation as VOC’s (even though they are considered VOC’s in Europe, for example) because they do not contribute to smog formation.  These ingredients are thus now finding their way into the Zero VOC formulations of major manufacturers, safe from government regulation, and without concern for their effect on users.

The point is, we must consider the effect of specific ingredients, and not whether something is a VOC or not.  By way of example consider the difference between ethylene glycol and propylene glycol.  The former, essentially antifreeze – is used by many paint companies to provide freeze-thaw resistance and a “wet-edge”.  It is a VOC, and is extremely toxic.  Propylene glycol, on the other hand, is a VOC which can be used for the same purpose, and it has no indicia of toxicity:  no skin sensitization hazards, no inhalation hazards, and no toxicity hazards.  One ingredient is poison, the other is benign, and yet the each contributes essentially the same VOC content to the product.  In other words paints made with propylene glycol are much safer, yet they have the same VOC reading as paints made with ethylene glycol.  Thus VOC in and of itself is a largely meaningless term.

The converse is also true:  Zero VOC in and of itself does not mean a product is safer.  SafeCoat ® products focus on indoor air quality on a whole, and particularly on human health and the elimination of toxicity.  The issue is, is it safer for people (and not just the outdoor air)?  Unlike other companies making zero VOC products, we avoid acetone and ammonia, as well as crystalline silica (a known carcinogen), odour (odor) masking agents, and many similar toxic compounds they use to make their products less expensive.  That is why we gat frequent calls from chemically sensitive individuals who have used major supplier’s zero VOC paint, only to find it is making them sick.  When they repaint with SafeCoat ® and tell us they can live in their house again, we know we are doing the right thing.

Myth #2:  Biodegradable Means Environmentally Friendly

Virtually every all purpose cleaner on the market is biodegradable and has been so for years.  Yet suddenly many companies have begun to tout this feature, hoping to tap into the public’s growing environmental consciousness.  But biodegradable does not mean a product is safe.

Almost all commonly available cleaners – except SafeChoice ® – use butyl ethers as the primary cleaning agents.  These are the same ingredients used in many paint strippers (although in a more diluted form).  They are very inexpensive, and very effective, yet they clean by corroding and abrading the surface (and the skin of the person cleaning).  They also release harsh chemical fumes.

Moreover did you know that the active ingredients in many disinfectants are neuro-toxins?  And that you can clean and remove odours just as effectively in areas where you would ordinarily use a disinfectant with a good wet surface cleaner like SafeChoice ® Safety Clean?

All SafeChoice products are biodegradable.  Unlike other so-called “environmental” products, however, ours work without using hazardous ingredients.