How to choose baby safe paint
Not
all colors are the same. Whether you're welcoming a new baby or just updating
the wall color of your home, you might be interested in learning about paint
ingredients and how they can affect your family's health.
Each
can of paint contains different ingredients in different concentrations. To
choose the safest paint for your home, you need to know what it contains.
Here's how to look for child-safe paint.
What's in paint?
Paint
formulations may contain ingredients such as nonylphenol ethoxylate, ethylene
glycol and formaldehyde. They may also contain metals, crystalline silica,
phthalates, fungicides, biocides and other components.
Paintings
are made up of four main elements:
- Additives
- Binders
- Pigments
- Solvents
While
pigments add color and shine, binders hold that color to the surface. The paint
also contains solvents that act as a liquid and additives to help thicken,
stabilize, defoam or preserve.
Health effects of paint exposure
Most
modern paints are unlikely to cause health problems. But children and infants
are more susceptible to breathing and developmental problems caused by paint
fumes and ingredients. Thus, you can be very careful when choosing paint for
your home.
Paint
fumes can have the following effects on young children:
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Vision problems
- Eye irritation
- Respiratory irritation
How to choose baby safe paint
Consider volatile organic
compounds.
Volatile organic compounds are the cause of paint fumes. These compounds dry
easily at room temperature, evaporating and releasing a strong odor.
Volatile
organic compounds are found in various paint ingredients, including
formaldehyde, ethylene glycol, benzene, toluene, and others. They may be
responsible for health effects such as headaches, vomiting, and dizziness.
Long-term exposure to high levels of certain volatile organic compounds is
believed to cause liver and kidney damage and even some types of cancer.
To
keep the nursery safe for babies, choose a low volatile organic compound or
zero volatile organic compound paint. Note that even pain labeled "zero
volatile organic compound " may not be completely free of volatile organic
compounds.
Look for water-based or natural
paints. Opt
for water-based paints instead of solvent-based or oil-based paints.
Water-based paints (also called latex or acrylic) use water as a liquid and
release fewer chemicals when dry.
You
can also buy or even make "natural" paints that use a variety of
non-chemical pigments. For example, milk paints are based on the protein casein
of milk, as well as lime, natural pigments, chalk and clay.
Beware of ingredients containing
ethoxylated alkylphenols.
Chemicals called alkylphenol ethoxylates and subtypes such as nonylphenol
ethoxylate are found in some acrylic paints. They have been found in human
breast milk and studies show they cause reproductive and developmental problems
in rats.
Be
mindful of supplements. Paint additives can kill mold or bacteria or act as
pesticides. But these additional ingredients can cause problems for people who
are sensitive to them.
Finally,
if you are pregnant, it is best to avoid contact with the paint. This includes
during application and during the first few days when the paint dries and
fumes.
Always paint in well-ventilated areas, away from children, pets, and people with respiratory conditions. Proper camouflage and cleaning can ensure you have a colorful new space without adverse health effects.