Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are chemicals that evaporate easily at room temperature. The term “organic” indicates that the compounds contain carbon. VOC exposures are often associated with an odor while other times there is no odor. Both can be harmful. There are thousands of different VOCs produced and used in our daily lives.

Many products emit or “off –gas” VOCs. Some examples of VOC emission sources are:

Benzene
Toluene
Methylene
Chloride
Formaldehyde
Xylene
Ethylene glycol
Texanol
1,3-butadiene
Emission Sources
Paints
Varnishes
Moth balls
Solvents
Gasoline
Newspaper
Cooking
Cleaning Chemicals
Vinyl floors
Carpets
Photocopying
Upholstery Fabrics
Adhesives
Sealing Caulks
Cosmetics
Air Fresheners
Fuel Oil
Vehicle Exhaust
Pressed wood furniture
Environmental Tobacco Smoke (Secondhand smoke)



What levels of VOC are typical in the home?
As of July, 2003 neither Minnesota nor the federal government have set standards for VOC levels in non-occupational settings. However, some guidelines are available. MDH has established Health Risk Values (HRVs) for some contaminants in air for several different exposure situations. For more information on these HRVs go to MDH Health Risk Values Website.

Many studies have shown VOC levels are higher in indoor air than outdoor air. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Total Exposure Assessment Methodology (TEAM) studies have found indoor VOC levels that were 2 to 5 times higher than outdoors.

Levels of VOC Exposure in indoor air vary widely depending on:

the volume of air in the room/building
the rate at which the VOC is off-gassed
the building ventilation rate
outdoor concentrations
time spent in the effected environment
What are the health effects of VOC exposure?
Acute

Eye irritation / watering
Nose irritation
Throat irritation
Headaches
Nausea / Vomitting
Dizziness
Asthma exacerbation
Chronic

Cancer
Liver damage
Kidney damage
Central Nervous System damage


Most studies to date have been conducted on single chemicals. Less is know about the health effects of combined chemical exposure. The best health protection measure is to limit your exposure to products and materials that contain VOCs when possible. If you think you may be having health problems caused by VOC exposure consult an occupational/environmental health physician who specializes in this area

Are some people at greater risk from VOC exposure than others?
Persons with respiratory problems such as asthma, young children, elderly, and persons with heightened sensitivity to chemicals may be more susceptible to illness from VOC exposure.

How can I tell what levels of VOC are in my home?
Some home screening kits are available to measure total volatile organic compound (TVOC) levels, and some individual VOCs. These home sampling kits should be viewed as providing “ballpark” amount of VOCs in the indoor air. Conditions such as ventilation, temperature and humidity can cause VOC concentrations to fluctuate daily.

Prior to testing conduct an inspection of your home for some common sources of VOCs such as:

New carpeting:
The glue and other smells that are very strong after the installation of new carpet can be hazardous to birds. The glues that are used to secure the pad is the most toxic element. New carpet should be shampooed and vacuumed several times and the room should be thoroughly aired out before birds are brought back into the house when new carpet is installed due to the strong formaldehyde smell they give off.
New furniture:
The gases that consist of many chemicals that are released into the air from paints, solvents, adhesives, various finishes and other building materials. If you open a cupboard door and detect an odor, formaldehyde which is found in particleboard and plywood, may be present.
Idling automobile in attached garage
Recent painting
Chemicals stored in the home
Recently applied adhesives
New plastic or electronic devices: They often are described as the "new smell".

Once you determine the probable source of VOCs, steps can be taken to reduce your exposure. If you are unable to determine the source, a professional indoor air quality investigator / industrial hygienist can be consulted. MDH has a residential service provider list along with recommendations on selection. MDH also has a guidance document that can be used for investigating possible VOC contamination entitled
Indoor Air Sampling at VOC contaminated sites.

How do I reduce the levels of VOCs in my home?
Most products containing VOCs will off gas within a short period of time although some will continue to give off trace amounts of VOCs for a long period of time. The best means of reducing VOC exposure is to eliminate products containing VOCs or use low emitting VOC products.

Some steps you can take to reduce your exposure to VOC in the home are:

Source control
eliminate products from home that have high levels of VOCs
purchase new products that contain low or no VOCs (Environmentally Preferable Purchasing)
Ventilation – open doors and windows, use fans
Control climate – as temperature and humidity increase some chemicals will off gas more
Treat the source – airtight sealers can be used to coat over some products. However, caution is advised in choosing the coating product as this could introduce new VOCs into the air while controlling for others.
Air cleaners – look for HEPA filtration designed to remove chemicals from the air.
Purchasing environmentally responsible cleaning chemicals
Remove unused chemicals from the home. Check with city or county for household hazardous waste collection sites
For more information on VOCs and other indoor air pollutants, contact:
Minnesota Department of Health, Indoor Air Program
625 Robert Street N
PO Box 64975
St. Paul, MN 55164-0975
651-201-4601 or 1-800-798-9050

Low VOC things for your home~Does not mean it is 100% safe, and you need to use caution. However, I use Benjamin Moore Eco Spec® paint for my home projects.

Benjamin Moore Introduces Eco Spec® Clean Air Formula Paint for Environmentally Sensitive Spaces

Benjamin Moore & Co. introduces Eco Spec® paint, a professional quality, premium interior 100% acrylic latex paint system designed for both residential and commercial spaces where environmental concerns about air quality during application are a priority.

Eco Spec® paint is formulated to address the needs of the architectural and interior design communities, facility and maintenance specifiers, and professional contractors when specifying and applying clean air formula products are necessary. The Eco Spec® paint formula contains no solvents which release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air. Both oil-based and conventional latex paints contain solvents that allow for the paint to be applied at a normal rate without drying rapidly. It is the solvents which give off the "painterly smell" associated with painting. Eco Spec® paint has virtually no odor during application, has a very short open time, and dries rapidly. This rapid dry allows for a space to be painted and put back into use within two hours after the job is completed. No residual paint smells exists.

"Eco Spec® paint’s quality performance and competitive price make it the ideal choice for jobs where environmental concerns exist about conventional paint odor and VOC emissions, and when there is a desire to reduce job site downtime," notes Jim S. Gorman, senior product manager for Benjamin Moore & Co.

Eco Spec® paint, a complete clean air formula interior paint system with a primer and three top coat finishes, flat, eggshell and semi-gloss, is offered in white and over 1000 custom colors.

Benjamin Moore & Co. is headquartered in Montvale, New Jersey and since 1883 is one of the country’s leading manufacturers of quality paints and stains. For additional in-formation on Eco Spec® paint, visit your local, authorized Benjamin Moore® retailer. For the retailer nearest you call 1-800-826-2623 or visit our web site's Retail Store Locator.



Carpeting:

At the very least, make sure that the carpet holds the controversial “Green Tag” seal from the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI). Although this seal will not guarantee that the carpet is nontoxic, it will assure the carpet's volatile organic chemicals (PVCs) are within what the CRI considers an acceptable range.
Tacking carpets down is safer than gluing.
Avoid carpeting with PVC or styrene-butadiene rubber backing, and rubber carpet pads.
Camel hair and wool needled (not glued) carpet pads are far safer and hold up very well.
Finally, do the job in the summer when the house can be aired out frequently, and ask the carpet installer to air the carpet out in the warehouse for three days at least—the longer the better—before putting it in the house.