September 2007
by Ted Cushman
As federal and state governments try to get a handle on the pollution problem and the impact of "volatile organic compounds," or VOCs, they're turning their attention to paint. A cascade of regulations, moving from the EPA down through regional commissions and finally taking effect at the state level, is putting the squeeze on suppliers to reduce the solvent content of all paint, stain, and primer formulas — or else take the products off the market. Paint makers are staying ahead of the curve. After years of adjusting to California requirements, most suppliers can now provide low-VOC products that come close to matching the performance of the old solvent-borne formulations. But a close match isn't a perfect substitute — and therein lies the rub. For contractors in the field, reports Ted Cushman, the new formulas may call for some changes in the way they choose, handle, and apply their products.
First 100 Words:
Paint It Green As rules limiting solvents get tighter, painters and suppliers are adjusting to a new kind of chemistry Ted Cushman If you've gone to the beach on a calm day in midsummer, you've probably seen the haze: a thin, brownish gray soup in the air that's not quite smoke, not quite fog, and not quite a cloud, veiling the horizon and dimming your view of the distant hills. What you can't see — but what is often there, along with the visible haze — is ozone. In the upper atmosphere, the ozone layer is good: it shields
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